The Fires

Former Hargrave president, Col. Joseph Hathaway Cosby, wrote a book called From Ashes to Excellence: 1950-1970. The book tells the story of the recovery of Hargrave from the "devastating" fire of February 20, 1950, to the retirement of Col. Cosby on June 20, 1970. The book was published in 1984 by McCain Printing Co. of Danville, VA.

There have been at least three major fires at Hargrave. The one in 1950 was apparently the worst. According to the Chatham Volunteer Fire Department, which lists that fire as having occurred in in 1951, "Many of the original buildings were destroyed and the school was forced to house students in town and cancel part of the school year due to this massive fire."

The Department lists the second fire to have taken place in 1981... "Much of the upper floors of both the Camden and Sanford buildings were heavily destroyed. Hydrants were at a minimum in those days, so the Hargrave pool was used as a source of water."

The third fire occurred in 2000... "The fire destroyed a brand new roof and heavily damaged the two upper floors of the Sanford Building, which was being renovated at the time of the incident."