Oak Harbor’s early town was built along the waterfront and stretched from Maylor’s store along Pioneer Way to about a block east of the junction of Flintstone Freeway and Midway and Pioneer. The east end of the town burned in a disastrous fire that started from a spark from Gil Kennedy’s blacksmith shop on a hot day in July 1920. About half the town was lost, including Byrne’s hotel, Byrne’s store, the blacksmith shop, the creamery, Cap Sill’s garage, and Dad Smith’s little house. With no fire department, everyone in town turned out to form a bucket brigade from Alfred Maylor’s house, but the water was inadequate and everything burned. The Byrne Hotel was advertised in Seattle papers as a resort, had indoor plumbing and carpeting, and brought many visitors by boat from Everett and Seattle.