Landmark Australian Hotel

Burns to the Ground

The Australian Hotel was a proud Deerfield landmark . A frame structure with an attic it was build in 1907 on Dixie Highway. On September 29th,1937 fire was discovered by the owner’s wife, Mrs Charles T. Scott s in the kitchen. Tragically Deerfield’s only fire truck, an old American LaFrance pumper wouldn’t start, so volunteer fireman had to push it to the blaze.  When the community got word most everyone showed up to help battle flames.

Fire units were called in from B.R. and Pompano B. but all that was left of the proud landmark was charred rubble and a small amount of furniture. According to Broward pioneer, Blanche Horne Slaughter, ‘The hotel fire ranked as one of the worse in Deerfield’s history.”