Separate Fires Destroy Two Central Pennsylvania Landmarks

[DoctorHurricane2003]

FIRE RIPS THROUGH HISTORIC BELLEFONTE HOTEL

Fire heavily damaged the historic Bush House Hotel and restaurant this morning in downtown Bellefonte, in Centre County. Emergency services personnel say the five-alarm fire started just before seven o'clock this morning in the four-story downtown building. No one is believed to have been inside the hotel or in Schnitzel's Restaurant below it. The four-story Bush House Hotel at 315 High Street was built by Daniel Bush in 1868. It played host to many great and near-great travelers, including Henry Ford, Harry Firestone, Amelia Earhart and Charles Lindburgh. Thomas Edison was not only a guest, but also designed the lighting and electrical system in 1884.

FIRE DESTROYS BEDFORD LANDMARK

A landmark Bedford building which is now a hotel and tavern was gutted by fire yesterday. The building at the corner of Pitt and Richard streets is known as the Graystone. The original structure on the site dated to 1758, though that building burned in the 1700s. The hotel that burned yesterday dates to after the Civil War. The hotel had 50 rooms, most of which were filled with antiques. No one was injured in the fire, though one of the owners had to crawl out of the smoky building to get out. Fire officials say the fire was tough to fight because of the old construction of the building. Officials say the cause of the fire is still under investigation




Weird....

[coriolis]

Wow! I'm familiar with both structures.

I would be suspicious of the one in Bellefonte, though. Historic as it was, seems that it's been vacant or mostly vacant for a long long time.

BTW, Bedford is my home town. I was never in the Graystone, but have been going by it forever.

[Skywatch_NC]

The Bedford hotel and tavern...remind me of The Golden Lamb in Lebanon, OH where notables like Benjamin Franklin, Harriet Beecher Stowe, etc., have stayed.

Eric

[Stephanie]

It's always ashame when grand old buildings such as these are lost forever. I love history and think it is worth preserving. I'm sorry to hear of this!

[coriolis]

I tried to hotlink a photo but it wouldn't let me.

Here's the URL for a nice picture of the Graystone. You can copy and paste it into your browser.


http://www.dennygibson.com/lhhc04/day04/pic3b.jpg