Downtown in Columbia in Maury County, Tennessee — The American South (East South Central)
Maury County Jail Fire
Photographed by Darren Jefferson Clay, July 11, 2026
1. Maury County Jail Fire Marker
On this site, on June 26, 1977, a fire broke out in the Maury County Jail, claiming the lives of forty-two people, both inmates & visitors. The tragedy began when padding in a cell was set ablaze and smoke rapidly filled the building. Despite heroic efforts by law enforcement and emergency management, all who were unable to escape in the first few minutes perished. This was the worst jail fire in Tennessee's history and prompted a nationwide change in jail construction. The building was restored & served as the county jail until 1998. In 2001, the building was converted to the Maury County Archives. In 2025. the building was renovated, expanded & rededicated.
Erected by City of Columbia.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Disasters • Law Enforcement. A significant historical date for this entry is June 26, 1977.
Location. 35° 36.97′ N, 87° 1.917′ W. Marker is in Columbia, Tennessee, in Maury County. It is in Downtown. It is at the intersection of East 6th Street and Woodland Street, on the left when traveling east on East 6th Street. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal
this page online
Regionally, this marker is in Middle Tennessee and in Greater Nashville. It is also in the American South and specifically in the Upper South. Globally, it is in North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture, one of the Confederate States of America, and the Antebellum South.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Freedmen's Savings Bank and Trust Company (about 400 feet away, measured in a direct line); Nelson House Hotel (about 500 feet away); Nathan Vaught (about 600 feet away); Riverside Bridge (about 600 feet away); James K. Polk (about 700 feet away); The Founding of Maury County and Columbia (about 700 feet away); Maury County War Memorial (about 700 feet away); James Edwin R. Carpenter (about 800 feet away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Columbia.
Photographed by Darren Jefferson Clay, July 11, 2026
2. Maury County Jail Fire Marker
Credits. This page was last revised on August 17, 2026. It was originally submitted on August 15, 2026, by Darren Jefferson Clay of Duluth, Georgia. This page has been viewed 14 times since then. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on August 15, 2026, by Darren Jefferson Clay of Duluth, Georgia. • James Hulse was the editor who published this page.
