The cities of St. Joseph and Benton Harbor will commemorate the 125th anniversary of the deadly Yore Opera House fire. The St. Joseph City Commission approved the closure of Lake Boulevard/Port Street from Ship to State streets starting at 6 a.m. on Monday, September 6 and reopening it by 10:30 a.m.
“I think this is a fabulous event,” says Mayor Mike Garey. “It’s 125 years of this tragedy, but it’s wonderful how you’ve been able to tie in both communities who equally lost fireman, with 7 from St. Joe and 12 from Benton Harbor.”
The Morton House will invite both public safety offices to lay a wreath, read the names of the lost firefighters with a 5-5-5 bell ringing and recitation of the Fireman’s Prayer. That will be held at the Fireman’s Monument in Lake Bluff Park near the John E.N. Howard Bandshell. The city will send a ladder truck to 6th and Territorial in Benton Harbor, which was the Yore Opera House site. Plastic fire hats and sticker badges will also be provided for children. A book on the tragedy will be published in July.
