Youth Assembly Ribbon Discovered

YMCA Advisor's Ribbon

Carlos Hamil

Winecoff fire survivor Richard Hamil recently discovered his father's YMCA advisor's ribbon. Carlos Hamil was the faculty advisor for the eight member 1946 YMCA Youth Assembly delegation from Rome, Ga.

Carlos Hamil kept the ribbon all his life, as he did a sense of guilt that four of his charges died on the tenth floor, even though there was nothing he could have possibly done to help them. The Hamils were trapped on the fifteenth floor until they were rescued by ladder across the alley on the hotel's west side.

Rare Postcard Acquired

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This vintage Winecoff Hotel postcard, showing early Ford automobiles, was not used for long. Note the hotel's name is misspelled.

Virginia Torbert Treasures

This photo of Winecoff fire victim Virginia Torbert is surrounded by three of her simple treasures: a decorative tea set, a bracelet (recovered from the fire scene) and a bottle of cologne, given to her by a suitor, Charles Greene. Today the items are kept safe and held dear by her sister Barbara.

Virginia Torbert's story is told on pages 88, 169, 175 and 233 of The Winecoff Fire: The Untold Story of America's Deadliest Hotel Fire.

Scorched Letter

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This letter was scorched by the Winecoff fire. Fire victim Jerry Jenkins, 15, wrote the letter to her boyfriend, Herman Easom, a few hours before the fire broke out. It was later recovered from room 930. It found its way to the Atlanta Post Office and was then sent to her family in Donalsonville, Ga. Today it is kept safe and held dear by her brother, Brantley Jenkins.

Last Letter Discovered

Robbie June Moye with her mother Eva Moye

The last letter that Winecoff fire victim Robbie June Moye wrote to her mother has been discovered by a family member.

The letter was written on Thursday night, December 5, 1946, two days before Moye, a Youth Assembly delegate from Donalsonville, Ga., perished in the Winecoff Hotel fire.

Handwritten on Winecoff Hotel stationery, Robbie June tells of her bus trip to Atlanta, an unexpected travel delay, a fun night on the town and her plans for a safe trip home.

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Judging by the date on the letter and the postmark on the envelope (Dec. 6), the letter could not have reached Donalsonville before the news of the fire did on Saturday morning Dec. 7.

Imagine the emotions and thoughts Eva Moye may have experienced upon receiving the letter, including possibly the brief hope that her daughter was somehow still alive.

Imagine assimilating the cruel irony of the “Hotel Winecoff” letterhead, with its printed, unfounded boast “Absolutely Fireproof” and the drawing of the building where her daughter died.

What a bitter piece of mail it may have seemed like in those first few moments. Then, after re-reading it, she may have come to see it as a final gift from her child, arriving in her all-too-familiar handwriting with its “all is well” tone.

This much we know: Eva Moye kept the letter safe for the rest of her life. It was recently discovered by her Great-Granddaughter, Winecoff Fire reader Kristy Moye Griffin.

Winecoff Piano Lovingly Restored

Prior to the 1946 Winecoff Hotel fire this Mason & Hamlin grand piano was used to entertain guests in the hotel. It was badly damaged in the fire but luckily was salvaged a few days later by Thomas Lester Rainwater Sr. He paid an insurance appraiser $15 for it.

Rainwater worked for the Cable Piano Company which, ironically, had been the scene of another famous Atlanta fire. He restored the piano in his home. Joe Durden, another Cable employee, refinished it. It took two years to complete the work.

In 1949 Rainwater donated the piano to the Pine Lake Baptist Church in Stone Mountain, Georgia. It's been in use there ever since. "My father-in-law worked real hard getting that piano ready and he was real proud to be able to give it to the church," said daughter-in law Dot Rainwater.

Here's a four minute video of Winecoff fire researcher Chet Wallace playing the piano and speaking with church member Jim Davenport, who spearheaded the piano's second restoration in 1992.

Winecoff Table Discovered

A Winecoff Fire reader in Roswell, Ga. says this table has been passed down within her family along with a story: It was bought at an auction of furniture recovered from the Winecoff Hotel. She says it originally showed scorch marks from the fire but was later refinished.

In the days following the fire some furnishings were put into storage, which brought accusations that the hotel's operators were attempting to hide assets. The furnishings were eventually ordered sold at auction to help satisfy the judgment of the court.

Today the sturdy table upholds the family television and DVD player!

Water Pitcher Discovered

Winecoff Fire reader Julie Cleaves discovered this hammered copper water pitcher at a Pennsylvania antiques auction. What caught her attention was a mysterious tag attached to it. It reads: "Hand Made Hammer Copper Water Picture From Wine Coft Hotel Atlanta". Julie quickly assumed that the word "picture" was intended to be "pitcher" and that "Wine Coft" should read "Winecoff". Did this pitcher actually come from the Winecoff Hotel? We're posting this photo in hopes the pitcher will look familiar to one of our readers. If so, e-mail Winecoff Fire co-author Allen B. Goodwin: allenbgoodwin@yahoo.com

Vintage Newspaper Discovered!

Winecoff Fire reader Donna Howard Parker has discovered this vintage issue of The Augusta Chronicle. It is dated Sunday December 8th, 1946. Donna reports it was found among the effects of the late Lilly Howard of Augusta, Ga. Lilly saved the issue throughout her life because she was so touched by the tragedy it describes. The earliest news reports inaccurately inflated the number of fatalities. The correct count was 119. One U.P.I. story reported 123. This issue reports 127. It also includes a vivid account of the Muns brothers' miraculous escape from room 1206 via sheetropes.

Winecoff Hotel Stationery

Winecoff Fire reader John Hall submitted this picture of his piece of original Winecoff Hotel stationery. Several versions of the stationery were produced through the years. This piece is believed to be from 1925. One of the many ironies surrounding the tragic Winecoff fire was the long held - but impossible - claim that the hotel was "Absolutely Fireproof". (Click to enlarge the picture.)

To Have And To Hold

The re-development of the old Winecoff Hotel necessitated the removal of some of the original bricks from the 1913 structure. Always alert, Atlanta Fire Department Captain Bill May managed to recover a few of them before they were removed from the re-construction site. He made sure one of them went to a very special person. Here is that man's thank you note to Captain May:

Captain Bill May,
Thank you for sharing a brick from the Winecoff Hotel. The Winecoff fire is that moment in history that totally turned my life. It was a powerful moment to hold a memento from the structure. I appreciate the effort you and Allen have given to make this happen.

In 1946 I was a three year old child and was staying with my parents in the Winecoff the night it burned. My parents did not survive but I was able to land on a fire net as I fell with my dad. An Atlanta fireman, Rick Roberts was one of the men holding the net. I have met and visited with Mr. Roberts a couple of times and it has been a rich experience. We were on the 10th floor and I understand that height meets or exceeds the fall distance that is compatible with survival.

I have no memory of the fire but have gathered many, many stories over the years. In the past few years even more details have come to light. We have photos, videos, the "Winecoff Fire" book, personal conversation and visits to the site. A brick from the structure is a tangible object. It is a powerful visual of a moment in history.

I have recently started to relate the story of the Winecoff to various groups in Kansas, including fire protection engineers and civic groups. It is amazing that people so far from Atlanta are so interested in an event that happened so long ago. The brick is a powerful image for the audience. Thank you again for this piece of history.

Please feel free to share this note and my appreciation with the Atlanta Fire Department.

Sincerely yours,
Robert Cox, M.D.

Captain Bill May is the host of Firefighter 411. http://www.firefighter411.com/

Winecoff Hotel Postcards

Picture Postcards:

• Cozy Room
• Lobby
• Atlanta's Newest
• Tower

Dining Areas

Christmas Card

Absolutely Fireproof

Southward View

Circa 1917

Mezzanine

Memorabilia:

• Matchbook
• Hotel Stationery
• Silver Plate
• Silver Plate Insignia
• Match & Candel Holder
• Demitasse Cup
• Gold Luggage Decal
• Silver & Blue Luggage Decal
• Brush Holder
• Spittoon
• Table
• Side Dish
• Record Label

Sunday Dinner Menu

Youth Assembly Banquet Ticket

Hotel's Grand Piano

Coffee Shop Menu

China Plate 1913