Minneapolis Thanksgiving Day Fire
Encyclopedia
The Minneapolis Thanksgiving Day fire destroyed an entire block of Downtown Minneapolis on November 25–26, 1982, including the 16-story headquarters of Northwestern National Bank (now Wells Fargo
) and the vacant, partially demolished location formerly occupied by Donaldson's
department store, which had recently moved across the street to the new City Center mall. Nobody was injured or killed as a result of the fire.
The Minneapolis Fire Department
quickly determined the cause of the fire as arson. Shortly thereafter, two juveniles were arrested and later convicted of setting the fire, using an acetylene
torch found at the partially demolished Donaldson's site.
In 1988, Northwestern National Bank (then called Norwest
Corporation) constructed a 57-story Cesar Pelli
-designed headquarters on the site of the Bank building. The new headquarters is now known as the Wells Fargo Center
, after Norwest merged with Wells Fargo
. The Donaldson's half of the block is occupied by the Saks Fifth Avenue wing of Gaviidae Common
, an upscale shopping mall.
. The building was a 16-story, 264 feet (80.5 m) tall steel and concrete structure. Due to the severe damage to the structure resulting from the fire, it was imploded in March 1983 to make way for the Norwest Center.
Wells Fargo
Wells Fargo & Company is an American multinational diversified financial services company with operations around the world. Wells Fargo is the fourth largest bank in the U.S. by assets and the largest bank by market capitalization. Wells Fargo is the second largest bank in deposits, home...
) and the vacant, partially demolished location formerly occupied by Donaldson's
Donaldson's
Donaldson's, also known as The L. S. Donaldson Company, Minneapolis, Minnesota is a defunct department store company.-History:The L. S. Donaldson Co., Minneapolis, Minnesota, was founded in 1883 by Scottish Immigrants. Built in 1884, the building was known as "The Glass Block" because of its...
department store, which had recently moved across the street to the new City Center mall. Nobody was injured or killed as a result of the fire.
The Minneapolis Fire Department
Minneapolis Fire Department
The Minneapolis Fire Department also known as MFD and M.F.D. is the fire department for the city of Minneapolis, in the state of Minnesota, United States...
quickly determined the cause of the fire as arson. Shortly thereafter, two juveniles were arrested and later convicted of setting the fire, using an acetylene
Acetylene
Acetylene is the chemical compound with the formula C2H2. It is a hydrocarbon and the simplest alkyne. This colorless gas is widely used as a fuel and a chemical building block. It is unstable in pure form and thus is usually handled as a solution.As an alkyne, acetylene is unsaturated because...
torch found at the partially demolished Donaldson's site.
In 1988, Northwestern National Bank (then called Norwest
Norwest
Norwest Corporation was a banking and financial services company based in Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States. In 1998, it merged with Wells Fargo & Co. and since that time has traded under the Wells Fargo name.-Early formation:...
Corporation) constructed a 57-story Cesar Pelli
César Pelli
César Pelli is an Argentine architect known for designing some of the world's tallest buildings and other major urban landmarks. In 1991, the American Institute of Architects listed Pelli among the ten most influential living American architects...
-designed headquarters on the site of the Bank building. The new headquarters is now known as the Wells Fargo Center
Wells Fargo Center (Minneapolis)
The Wells Fargo Center, formerly known as Norwest Center, is the third-tallest building in Minneapolis, Minnesota, after the IDS Center and the Capella Tower. Completed in 1988, it is 774 feet tall. For many years, this was believed to be one foot shorter than Capella, but that structure...
, after Norwest merged with Wells Fargo
Wells Fargo
Wells Fargo & Company is an American multinational diversified financial services company with operations around the world. Wells Fargo is the fourth largest bank in the U.S. by assets and the largest bank by market capitalization. Wells Fargo is the second largest bank in deposits, home...
. The Donaldson's half of the block is occupied by the Saks Fifth Avenue wing of Gaviidae Common
Gaviidae Common
Gaviidae Common is a shopping mall and office complex located in downtown Minneapolis, Minnesota, off the Nicollet Mall. It is anchored by Neiman Marcus on one end and a Saks Off Fifth on the other. The complex is spread over two city blocks, and is connected to the Minneapolis Skyway System. It...
, an upscale shopping mall.
About the Northwestern National Bank Building
The Northwestern National Bank Building, which was severely damaged in the Thanksgiving Day Fire, was built in 1930 by the architecture firm of Graham, Anderson, Probst & WhiteGraham, Anderson, Probst & White
Graham, Anderson, Probst & White is a Chicago architecture firm that was founded in 1912 originally as Graham, Burnham & Co. This firm was the successor to D. H. Burnham & Co. by Daniel Burnham's surviving partner Ernest Graham and Burnham's sons Hubert Burnham and Daniel Burnham Jr...
. The building was a 16-story, 264 feet (80.5 m) tall steel and concrete structure. Due to the severe damage to the structure resulting from the fire, it was imploded in March 1983 to make way for the Norwest Center.