The suspected electric fire before dawn on Thursday was seriously damaged by the Doylestown Historical Society building, including offices and exhibitions, including a wide collection of hat.
The Board of Directors of the Historical Society will meet on Friday to discuss the next steps and the renovation plans, said its chairman Ron Strouse on Thursday.
The passerby noticed smoke at around 5.30am on the first floor of the 50 block of the South Maain Street and called 911, Strouse said.
The front building of the Doylestown Historical Society suffered from major damage on fire on Thursday, March 20, 2025
Doylestown Fire Co. No. 1 was present in minutes with six other assistant fire companies, according to the company’s Facebook message. Six other fire companies and the EMS team helped in the answer. The injuries were not reported.
Michael Wood, the fire manager of Doylestown, did not respond immediately to the email on Thursday, which retrieved information.
The historic association had worked for 25 years of its 27 -year -olds and has been updated in recent years, Strouse said.
The fire began at the newer front front of the building, which is mostly used to perform exhibitions and objects, Strouse said.
Smoke damage to an early morning fire can be seen outside the Doylestown Historical Society on Thursday, March 20, 2025.
The most serious damage was the back of the building, which was a 1820 Magill school house, which is likely to be dismantled, Strouse said.
“It takes a lot to restore it,” he added.
Photographs of fire published on Facebook indicate damage to the interior of the windows and the interior, as well as smoke damage to the original building window and exterior wall.
What did you lose in the historical society of DoYlystown on fire?
The fire destroyed the objects in two screens, including 50 hats of the early 20th century as part of the History of Doylestown-Mill and Men’s Hat manufacturer, dating back to the 19th century. The exhibition was planned to run in mid -April.
Most of the hats were part of the loan collection from Lynn Anne Donchez, a popular local salon owner who appears in the upcoming YouTube video history series.
“It is safe to say that the whole collection was destroyed,” Strouse said.
The costumes used by historical society were also destroyed in local parades and community events, including Mrs. Santa Claus, Lady Liberty and Uncle Sam, said.
In the fire, there were also objects that were part of the presentation that re -created by William Edgar Geil, an evangelical missionary, and an international researcher, born in the new UK district and lived in Doylestown.
The exhibition included a table and a typewriter for Geil, Strouse said. In 2007, the collector’s family donated most of Geil’s papers and photos to the Doylestown Historical Association.
The windows of the Doylestown Historical Society building will rise on Thursday, March 20, 2025, with significant damage to the property in an early morning after fire.
The front building where the fire occurred
Most of the archives of society are stored in another rear building that was not affected by the fire. There is also a gallery and research center in the rear building, where many of society’s programs and events take place, Strouse said.
Strouse expressed gratitude to firefighters for rescuing, “Much irreplaceable historical objects and records. He also expressed his appreciation of support that society received after the outbreak of fire news.
“It hasn’t been anything impressive about leaking community people,” he said.
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Jess Rohan can be reached at [email protected]; The supplier already Ciavaglia has a target
This article was originally published in Bucks County Courier Times: Fire Drainges Doylestown Historical Society Bucks County