MOUNT VERNON — The historic, 168-year-old Young house at 112 E. Gambier St. will be restored to its former glory.
Heavily damage by a fire that started in an upstairs apartment the afternoon of Dec. 16, the house is owned by Wayne Gottke and was divided into five apartments.
Gottke said the decision has been made to restore the house to its historic splendor. Handling the work will be the Capital Construction Co. of Delaware, a specialist in historic reconstruction. Gottke said his insurance company recommended the company.
The company will enlist the help of the Knox County Historical Society in the restoration. Jim Gibson, curator of the Knox County Historical Society Museum, said they have photos of the home for reference when doing the work.
Gottke said there is no time frame for the restoration. Sorting out all of the damage that will need repaired, plus engineer work to reconstruct the roof, he said, will take time. Jim Buchwald of Mount Vernon, an architectural connoisseur who wrote a series of articles on Mount Vernon homes in 1976, said the Young house is a handsome home with a mixture of architectural styles.
The fire, which was reported at 3:59 p.m. on Dec. 16, was fought by the Mount Vernon Fire Department in freezing weather that left pavement, the grounds and fire equipment enveloped in ice. Mutual aid came from the College Township and Fredericktown fire departments, which sent equipment and firefighters.
The fire started in the attic and quickly spread in the upper story. It was difficult to fight, fire officials said. According to Mount Vernon Fire Department Chief Shawn Christy, the fire was accidental, although no exact cause has been determined.
