Photos: The 1946 Winecoff Hotel fire in downtown Atlanta

Things to Do

Photos: The Winecoff Hotel fire

On Dec. 7, 1946, the Winecoff Hotel on Peachtree Street in Atlanta went up in flames. The early morning fire claimed the lives of 119 people and it is still the deadliest hotel fire in U.S. history. The building is now the Ellis Hotel, which stands at the corner of Peachtree and Ellis streets.

December 7, 1946

Arnold Hardy's photo from the Winecoff Hotel fire on Dec. 7, 1946, won a Pulitzer Prize. The photo shows a woman falling from an upper floor of the hotel. The woman survived and was later identified as Daisy McCumber. (ARNOLD HARDY/Special)

Intersection of Peachtree and Cain (now Andrew Young International Blvd.) Streets in the early 1920s, with the Winecoff Hotel in the distance. The Masonic Temple, foreground, right, was demolished in the mid-1920s. Across the street from the Masonic Temple is the Henry Grady Hotel, next to that is Davison's and then the Winecoff Hotel. The building in the distance past the Winecoff is the Candler Building.

This photo was published on the front pages of at least two Journal extra editions on December 7, 1946. Rick Roberts, who died in 2011, is the firefighter on the far left. AJC archive photo

Dec. 7, 1946.

Rick Roberts speaks to people gathered at The Spotted Dog -- which used to house Fire Station 11 -- during a commemoration to mark the 60th anniversary of the Winecoff Hotel fire in downtown Atlanta. Roberts, a firefighter at the time who went on to become battalion chief, is credited with helping to save several of the survivors. The fire, at 119 deaths, the worst hotel fire in U.S. history, caused departments across the country to update their fire safety codes. (Allen Sullivan / Special)

Margaret Foster speaks to people gathered at The Spotted Dog -- which used to house Fire Station 11 -- during a commemoration to mark the 60th anniversary of the Winecoff Hotel fire in downtown Atlanta. Foster survived the fire with her husband and daughter. The fire, at 119 deaths, the worst hotel fire in U.S. history, caused departments across the country to update their safety codes. (Allen Sullivan / Special)

Rick Roberts listens to speakers at The Spotted Dog -- which used to house Fire Station 11 -- during a commemoration to mark the 60th anniversary of the Winecoff Hotel fire in downtown Atlanta. Roberts, a firefighter at the time who went on to become battalion chief, is credited with helping to save several of the survivors. The fire--at 119 deaths, the worst hotel fire in U.S. history--caused departments across the country to update their fire safety codes. (Allen Sullivan / Special)

The Ellis Hotel in 2012

Arnold Hardy, who took the Pulitzer Prize winning shot of the Winecoff fire.

Photo from the Winecoff hotel fire in Atlanta, Ga. Dec. 7, 1946. This photo shows Mr. and Mrs. J. Reid Horne of Cordele , Ga. that were guest of the Winecoff Hotel ,comfort J. W. Henry (right) of Jefferson City, Tenn. whose wife died in the fire which swept thru the 15 story structure in Atlanta, Ga. on Dec. 7 ,1946. (AP/FILE PHOTO)

Photo from the Winecoff hotel fire in Atlanta, Ga. December 7, 1946. This photo shows the fire in progress, the fire eventually killed 119 people. In the top right corner of the building are the Hornes who took refuge in the Winecoff's top two corner rooms which are highlighted by searchlights. The building is located at Ellis and Peachtree streets in downtown Atlanta. (AJC file)

Photo from the Winecoff hotel fire in Atlanta, Ga. Dec. 7, 1946. Atlanta firefighters remove bodies from the Winecoff Hotel.

A photo from one of the guest rooms inside the Winecoff Hotel after the deadly fire.

Reid and Carey Horne, shown here in December 1986, survived the Winecoff Hotel fire.

This picture taken April 17, 1913, by Starbuck Jones shows the Winecoff hotel as it was under construction. The park to right in picture is present site of Macys.

The Peachtree on Peachtree Inn, formerly the Winecoff Hotel, in 1981, when it served as a retirement home.

Workmen removed the huge sign from the front of the Winecoff hotel building in 1947. Removal of the sign followed a court order. The receiver for the hotel filed a petition in court asking that the sign be dismantled. He contended it served no purpose other than to act as a reminder of the tragedy.

An historic marker stands in front of the old Winecoff Hotel with the Equitable building soaring behind it on the left and the Carnegie building to the right in downtown Atlanta in this photo from 2003.

1/20

December 7, 1946

Today's Gallery Headlines

Coca-Cola first ad

PHOTOS: Coca-Cola ads over time

Alonzo Herndon

PHOTOS: Philanthropists leave mark on Atlanta

gainesville, thomas county central

PHOTOS: Thomas County Central pummels Gainesville for 5A state title

jefferson, sandy creek

PHOTOS: Sandy Creek defeats Jefferson for Class 3A championship

More Galleries

the weeknd

PHOTOS: The Weeknd electrifies the crowd at Atlanta's Mercedes-Benz stadium

PHOTOS: Beyonce fans saddle up for 4-day Atlanta Cowboy Carter Tour stop

PHOTOS: Beyoncé fans arrive for 4-night Atlanta Cowboy Carter Tour stop

College Park Juneteenth Parade standalone photo

PHOTOS: Juneteenth Parade held in College Park

4th Annual Rick Ross Car Show

PHOTOS: Rapper Rick Ross holds 4th annual car show in Fayetteville