Last Wednesday, the Kirby house was engulfed in flames, but now it is a burnt shell of the structure it once was. Since the building was constructed in 1885, it's been a home, a commercial club, an apartment building, and, of course, a restaurant.
"I want them to remember what it was, because that's the house that brought people to Abilene," said owner Melodie Sprouse. Now she has to figure out how to move on.
Terry Tietjens was the past owner and the man who originally turned the apartment building into a restaurant.
"I thought to rebuild this would be a wonderful project, not just something I'd enjoy and for our community, economic development and do save history for another generation."
"I still drive by here four times a day, because I can't believe it," Sprouse said. "One day, you just think maybe something positive will be there, that you can see something you can salvage, but everyday it just gets worse."
The Kirby House wasn't just important to its owners, it also meant a lot to the community. Tietjens reflected on the number of proposals and anniversaries he had at the old building.
Demolition crews are scheduled to tear down the building Wednesday. So soon the original Kirby House, in any form will be destroyed.
The Abilene Fire Department says it should also figure out the cause of the fire soon. Investigators say they are pretty confident it started in the basement.
