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Final Project Sources

Here is legislation that was a result of the fire. This can be used to show that something good came out of this tragedy. The government changed regulations to ensure this would not happen again. I found this online. [|Fire and Panic Act]

Here is the deed from Fair View Cemetery for the unknown victims in the fire. This can be used to show six lots were bought to bury the unidentified victims. You can also see what it cost to bury people in 1908. I went to the Boyertown Historical Society and found this.

This is a diary of Leon Briedenbach, survivor of opera house fire and written at the time of the tragedy. Mr. Briedenbach was a participant in the performance being given at the time of the fire. This can be used to show how a survivor was dealing with these events. It can give information to what it was like being in the fire. This was found and copied at the Boyertown Historical Society.

Here is the original list of victims from the Boyertown Relief Committee. This shows how many bodies were not able to be identified. It also shows how many people died who were not from Boyertown. You can also see what bodies were identified. This was found and copied at the Boyertown Historical Society.

Here is the diary of a man who lived in Boyertown at the time of the Boyertown Opera House Fire. He talks about the fire and things that happened after the fire. This can be used to show how residents in Boyertown were dealing with the aftermath of the fire. This was found and copied at the Boyertown Historical Society.

4-D-1 Sources

-Here is a photograph I obtained from the Boyertown Historical Society. It shows members of the recovery team removing bodies from the building after the fire. I can use this photograph to show what happened after the fire.

- Here is a photograph I obtained from the Boyertown Historical Society. It shows what the inside of the Rhoads Opera House looked like after the fire. I can use this photograph to show the damage the fire caused.

-- Here is another photograph I obtained from the Boyertown Historical Society. It shows what the inside of the Rhoads Opera House looked like after the fire.

-Here is another photograph I obtained from the Boyertown Historical Society. It shows men in the cemetery preparing for all the burials of the victims in the fire. I can use this photo to show people stepping up to help in the aftermath of the fire.

- Here is another photograph I obtained from the Boyertown Historical Society. It shows the cast in the play the night of the fire. This was taken before the play began. This is important to show who was on stage that night performing. It also shows how many people were in the play.

- Here is a photograph I obtained from the Boyertown Historical Society. This photograph shows the Rhoads Opera house before the fire. You can see what the original building looked like. The auditorium where this took place was on the second floor. I think it is important to show what the original building looked like.

- Here is a document I found online. This was written by theDepartment of Developmental Services in Nevada. This applies to the building division. This shows over the years how different fires have changed building codes. I can use this to show the impact of specific events to changes in code regulations to help prevent it from happening again. [|Large Fires and Code Changes]

- Here is a photograph I found online in the Chicago Tribune depicting another theatre fire. I can use this to show what is considered the deadliest single-building fire in history. Saftey standards were also changed because of this deadly fire. [|Iroquois Theatre Fire]

- Here is a website that has pictures of different fire engines throughout history. I can use this photo to show what the fire steam engines looked like in the early 1900's. [|Fire Steam Engine]

- This is the National Fire Safety Council website. There are posters used to teach people about fire prevention. I can show students different posters used to make people aware of fire prevention. [|Posters of Fire Prevention]


 * 5D1- Audio Recordings & Sheet Music

-** This website is about a famous fire called The Triangle Factory Fire. I thought this would be a great site for students to read about because of the similarities between this fire and the Rhoads Opera House Fire. The exits in this building were locked and workers could not escape, fire escapes did not lead to safety, and fire fighter's ladders and hoses did not reach the windows to rescue the victims. After this event, legislation was passed to make factories safer to work in. I have posted here the website and there are interviews from people who survived the fire. I think it would be valuable to hear from a survivor's point of view what it is like to be in a burning building. [|**Interviews from Fire Survivors**]

- Here is a site that has audio files from fire incidents throughout the years. I found a few dealing with building fires and fires where people are trapped in the building. I think it would be important to hear what the fire fighters are saying to each other and what equipment they are bringing along. Hearing how they communicate about this event can help students understand fire from a fire fighter's point of view. [|Audio Files from Fire Incidents]

- Here are public service announcements that deal with fire safety. They can be used for Fire Prevention Week or to help students learn ways to prevent a fire or what to do in a fire. There are important topics like knowing an escape route, stop drop and roll, and staying low to the ground because of smoke. Students can connect this to the project because a few people in Rhoads Opera House did make sure they knew the exits of the building before the play and when the fire occurred they got out safely. [|Fire Safety Announcements]

- Here is a webpage that has a timeline of popular music, movies, and literature during the early 1900's. This can be used to have students listen to popular music during 1908. They can also listen to important speeches given that year. This will help students learn about the culture back then. [|Timeline of Music and Movies in early 1900's]

- After researching the Scottish Reformation that was being performed the night of the fire, I found out that bagpipes were played throughout the play. Here is a website that gives audio files to listen to the sound of bagpipes. I think it would benefit students to hear what the bagpipes sound like to give them a feeling of what it was like to be at the play that night. It will help create the atmosphere. [|Sounds of Bagpipes]


 * 6-D-1 Maps & Video**



I found this historical map of Boyertown at the local Boyertown Community Library. Here is a zoomed in view of the intersection where the Rhoads Opera House was located. I can use this in my project to show students what was located in the area at the time of the fire.

Here is a diagram of the second floor in the Rhoads Opera House. Showing the location of the calcium lights and tanks, the fire escape and the narrow stairway where people were crushed to death. I can use this to show students how the room was set up and why depending on where people were seated, they tried different ways to escape. I found this diagram at Pottstown Public Library. I was able to copy it and scan it onto the computer.

Here is a video I found on YouTube. People created a play about the Rhoads Opera House Fire. The play is about two people affected by the fire and also brings up historical aspects about the fire. In the video people are interviewed who attended the play and who were in the cast. This can be used to show students that even though this event occured over 100 years ago, it is still on people's minds and in their hearts. [|Play]

Here is a video I found that shows how the fire equipment looked at the time of the fire. Back then the steam engines were taken to the scene by horses. Students can see what it would have looked like leaving to go to a fire. [|Horse Drawn Steam Engine]

Here is a video I found that shows a fire steam engine returning after a fire. It shows the horses pulling two steam engines and a rescue wagon. I found this on the American Memory site. This could be another example to show students what fire equipment looked like during the time period of the fire.

[|Fire Steam Engines]