In April of 2025, fires burned in two locations on South Mountain, about 15 miles apart. It took more than a week to completely contain the fires. One of the fires was located near Hammonds Rocks, about half an hour’s hike from the mansion. This wasn’t the first time the mansion was threatened by fire. In fact, a fire came within 30 feet of the mansion in May of 1909! Fortunately, James McCormick Cameron had fire in mind when he built the mansion with heavy brick and concrete construction.
The Chronicle, May 13, 1909
South Mountain Fire is Now Out
The forest fires which have been raging unchecked on the South Mountain southwest of here for the past four days, are now practically out. For three days a force of men aggregating at least 225, were employed night and day fighting against the flames, and not until a late hour on Sunday night did their labor avail them anything. The fire lines met on the tops of the first range of mountains about three o’clock on Monday morning, and 7 o’clock the flames had spent their fury and force, and were dying out, and the fire fighters had won.
This fire will go down on record as one of the greatest in the history of this section of the stat, both as to its destructiveness and area covered.
Three Constables at Work
Constables William Ludt, of Dickinson Township, had a force of thirty-seven men from Dickinson, Cummingstown and vicinity, fighting the fire: Constable Snoke, of Penn township, took a larger number of men out from Centerville and vicinity, and from Pine Gove Furnace came Constable Hockey with a still larger number of men from that place, Hunters Run and Laurel. The latter party fought the fire from the south side of the mountains, and the other parties began work from the north and east sides.
Cameron Mansion Endangered
Constable Ludt states that the fire on Sunday morning was dangerously near the mansion home and summer resort of James S. Cameron, of Harrisburg, which is located near the top of the second range, to the north side. He had a force of men surround the grounds and back fire on the flames, and from the water plant at the home, several streams of hose were attached, and water played on the big barn and one end of the residence. At one point the constable stated, the fire was within thirty feet of the buildings, but the structures were saved. Mr. Cameron was notified of the fire last week, and was on the grounds on Sunday assisting the men in fighting the flames.
May Investigate Fire
The Constable reported to the Board of County Commissioners on Monday morning regarding the fires and were instructed to file bills of their expenses as soon as possible. The cost of fighting this fire will in all probability amount to several hundred dollars, as each of the men receive twenty cents an hour, according to the statutes.
The Commissioners will likely place detectives at work to ascertain, if possible, who is guilty of firing the mountains, and they will be severely dealt with if apprehended.
The residents of the fire section are now resting easily, as the intense anxiety over the probably loss of life in the flames is at an end, and the destruction of property has ended.