The Beverly Hills Supper Club fire is really a Northern Kentucky/Cincinnati story, but it was so large-scale, tragic, and nationally significant that I feel it can be safely mentioned in a Louisville architecture blog. Long story short, the Beverly Hills Supper Club sat on a hill in Southgate, KY with a great view of the Ohio R. and Cincinnati skyline. In the '30s, '40s, and '50s, it was a popular night club with great food, shows, and yes, illegal gambling. Many said it had mafia ties. Local authorities eventually clamped down on “vice” and by the early '60s, it was closed. In 1969, Richard Shilling bought the club determined to renovate it in grand style, expand, and turn the place into the best night club in the nation. By the mid-70s, his dream was realized. The complex was huge, opulent, packed every night, and attracted the best entertainers. It was a true hot spot. The problem was his renovations and additions were often done haphazardly and without building approvals; the place was a maze, hallways were narrow, there weren’t enough fire exits, and the ones that did exist were too narrow; there was no fire alarm or sprinkler systems; the fancy decor and furnishings added combustibility; staff weren’t trained in what to do in case of emergencies; and the place was often overcrowded. All of these issues converged on the night of May 28, 1977 (John Davidson was doing two shows that night). A fire began in a concealed space in a small room toward the front of the club - most likely due to faulty wiring - then spread throughout the entire building in a matter of minutes. Few were prepared, and 164 people lost their lives; many more were injured. The only good that came out of the tragedy was better fire safety regulations and enforcement in public spaces nationwide. That said, the people of Southgate, KY are unlikely to forget the Beverly Hills Supper Club fire anytime soon.
Two great books on the fire...
- "Beverly Hills: The Anatomy of a Nightclub Fire" by Robert Lawson. Mr. Lawson's a fire expert. So, it's more of a technical work.
- "Inside the Beverly Hills Supper Club Fire" by Ron Elliot. Mr. Elliot is relating the story of Wayne Dammert, a long-time employee of the club. It's a first-hand account and very interesting.
What the club looked like from the '30s - '60s...
After Richard Schilling's renovations...
Fire...
After the smoke cleared...
Location (see Beverly Hills Dr., center)...
UPDATE
Great photos. I have been collecting china and miscellaneous articles from the club for years. I have a portrait that was in the club, large large amount of china, and flatware, and a statue fragment that was part of a fountain. I too have been on the site, and find it extremely erie, due to the large amount of relics remaining after all this time. A dig should definitely be done on the site.
ReplyDeleteYour collection sounds excellent! I'm glad people like you are preserving items from the club. Regarding the site, I'm not big into the paranormal, but I don't discount its possibilities either. I went up there alone, just me and my camera, on a warm, sunny July morning. I felt at ease and welcome the entire time but also that I was being watched, if that makes any sense. It was enough that I picked up a piece of brick to keep as a memento but felt an immediate need to put it back on the ground, which I did. I ended up taking nothing but my photos.
ReplyDeleteYou know, ever so often, there's talk of developing that hill - office buildings, shopping, apartments/condos, whatever. I think that's a bad idea. It needs to remain an untouched memorial. Besides, would you want to live or work up there? Not me :)
Philip Campbell
I know what you mean about feeling like someone is watching you when up on that hill. I felt the same way. I also agree with not developing that property. It is as if they just walked away from all that stuff up there. It's incredible the amount of debris that is up there after all of these years. I suppose it's erosion, as they buried that, and now it's resurfacing. The club had a enormous basement.
DeleteI would never want to live or do business on that. I felt the same way when I was up there, like someone was watching. I was up there a several times, the first with a representative of the owners, and that is when I got the fountain piece, which is large and heavy. It's essentially the torso of the fountain, that I believe was between the club and the chapel. With so much debris and artifacts still up there, I am always affraid that they are going to develop it and just pitch all the stuff that is still up there. Rumor is the safe is still there, and I believe it. I am sure they wanted to just bury it and forget it, but now it's all resurfacing due to erosision.
ReplyDeleteCharlie Jones
My father was the chef at the Beverly Hills Super Club and the fire took place the night before my high school graduation. It is a night that I will never forget. My father started working for the Schillings at the Lookout House and later at The Islands. I looked for the books on the fire but they were out of print. I would be interested in reading about it now.
ReplyDeleteRita, this is Dave Brock i worked with your father for many years what a great man he was. please call me when you get chance 513-505-9813 or my email is onemoment2105@netscape.net
DeleteThat's really interesting Rita. I've done a lot of research on the club, but I haven't gotten to speak to too many folks with such a direct link to the night of the fire. So it's nice to meet you. Regarding books on the subject, yeah, you're probably not going to be able to buy a new copy anywhere. You might find one at a used bookstore. I myself got everything from the Louisville Free Public Library. Do you live in Cincinnati/N. KY? If so, I'm sure the libraries up there have plenty about it. Check around and see what you can dig up...
ReplyDeleteI remember when this happened, I was 9 years old and I remember looking over towards south gate form our house in downtown covington. The sky was completely organge, I will never forget that night the sirens from emergency vehicles were non stop. I have often wanted to go up to observe the site, but I believe that is not allowed and would be trespassing. I may travel up to the hill and take my camera before it is developed again.
ReplyDeleteI really do enjoy hearing from people with first-hand knowledge of the club and fire. I decided to just take my chances in going up to the site. My goals were to figure out how the club was laid out up on that hill, look around, scan for debris but not touch or take a thing, snap a few photos, and kind of pay my respects to the scene. I have no ties to the club, but I'm a history, architecture, and culture buff, and I felt a real need to turn what I knew into something seen with my own eyes. I have nothing for respect for the place, all the people who perished, and the folks in Southgate. I view it as kind of a tomb up there. So if I'd been asked to leave by somebody, that's what I would've said and hopefully they'd understand. I say if you want to go, do it. Mother nature has pretty much reclaimed the place. What harm could you really do?
DeletePhillip, this is Dave Brock,i worked At Beverly Hills from July 1972 - May 1977 and was there the whole day of the fire. if you would like to call me i will discuss the findings of the fire with you. 513-505-9813
DeleteMy grandfather, Dr. Fred Stine, was the Coroner for the tragedy. He ran the entire operation after the fire, including opening up the Fort in Fort Thomas for use of identification of the bodies, speaking with the press, etc. Great photos! Although, not gonna lie, being a Northern Kentuckian, I resent it being included on a blog about Louisville Architecture. =) But only because I'm a punk and I love the history of the N. Ky/Cincinnati area, which is so very, very rich and so often ignored by the rest of Kentucky. Thanks for posting about this and your findings!
ReplyDeleteCaroline, it's nice to meet you. I've read your grandfather's name many times in newspaper articles, books, etc. He was a true hero that night. Can you imagine all the things he saw? Horrible. And regarding Louisville vs. N.KY/Cincy...I'm not from here. I'm a transplant from rural Central KY. So I have no bias really :)
DeleteI was 1O years old when it happen. My parents and I were suppose to be there that night and I threw a fit and wouldn't go. My parents were going to leave me with my Grandmother and I pleaded with them to stay home and Thank God they did. Hours later, we all saw it burning on the news. I remember going to the florist the next day with my Mom to order flowers for a family that had lost someone. The florist was swamped with orders. I have always felt compelled to go and take flowers to the site. Is that possible or would I get in trouble for trespassing? I mean no disrespect to anyone, just always felt I needed to go there and pay my respects.
ReplyDeleteI guess it was a blessing that you had a temper tantrum that day. Regarding leaving flowers at the site, it's strange: it's no trespassing yet there's a memorial built up there that's welcoming and which people obviously visit. I'd say go up there and leave flowers. If someone questions you, common sense would probably rule the day. You'd just be paying respects, which is a good thing not bad...
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