Yesterday was absolutely surreal. It was nearly closing time when I got a call that the courthouse (less than a block away) was on fire. At first it seemed like maybe just the tower, and there were already fire trucks on site.. Workers had been renovating the facade, hence all the scaffolding. By the time I got home, which is two blocks away, our lovely courthouse was in flames. Even last night when I went out for a walk it was still very much on fire 4 hours later. Last night the floors fell through as well as the tower and the roof. The Chatham County Historical museum was housed on the first floor and is most likely destroyed.
My store smells so strongly of smoke.. as do my clothes and home. Downtown Pittsboro is blocked off today, and possibly longer.
My heartfelt admiration goes out to the firefighters and police who were out in abundance until late into the night.
I hope we can rebuild to its former state. It was such an icon, such a pleasure to drive into town and see the nice shape of the clock tower. Perhaps this can be a town-wide movement for renovation and rejuvenation of this lovely little place that was already on the edge of being taken over by big box stores. I hope this will be a new beginning, and not an end.
2 comments:
Oh no! That's so sad. Do they suspect arson?
It always saddens me to see history go up in flames. My brother works right behind the courthouse and called me to see if my son (a volunteer firefighter) was at there; he said they needed all the help they could get! Of course Michael was down the street filling the water trucks with some other volunteers. What a value they are!!!
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