Published: April 21, 2009 01:27 pm         

Jonesville School destroyed by fire

Monticello — A historic Wayne County building was destroyed by an early morning fire

on Sunday, April 19, and local officials are investigating the cause of the

blaze. The Jonesville School, located on the Jonesville Cemetery Road,

burned sometime after midnight on Saturday, April 18, according to Wayne

County Sheriff Charles Boston.

The Sheriff's Department is heading up the investigation into the cause

of the fire. They were in the process of investigating vandalism that

occurred on Friday night at the school, when all the windows were broken out

of the structure, according to Boston.

Monticello Fire Chief Steve Ferrell said his department was notified of

the fire at approximately 7:30 a.m. Sunday. He said that the school is

located in a remote area and no one actually saw the building on fire. It

was reported early Sunday, when someone passed by and saw the building was

on the ground.

Ferrell said the nearby shelter house was also destroyed by fire. He

said the cause of the fire remains under investigation.

Boston said the arson investigator with Kentucky State Police has been

notified and was expected to visit the site early this week.

Vandalism has been a problem at the school over the past couple of

years, according to Boston. He said windows have been broken out of the

historic school on several occasions.

The Jonesville School has been an important part of that community since

it was built in 1908. It was constructed to replace the original school

building, which was built around 1880 but was destroyed by fire.

The original school was located on a different site, and the new

building was constructed on land donated by James Daniel Jones.

Classes were held in the one-room schoolhouse until 1965.

The building also served as a site for Sunday School and prayer service.

Alene New, who was involved in the restoration of the school building,

noted that the Reverend George New, who was her grandfather, held revivals

and prayer services in the building.

The Jonesville School was restored in 1996 and became home to the

popular Jonesville School reunion soon after that.

Every year, hundreds of people returned to the school, which is believed

to be the only one-room school still in its original location in Wayne

County.

"I just hate that this has happened," said New. "It is something that

can't be recovered."

A historical marker, noting the significance of the building to the

community it served, still stands at the site.

"As a community school, it was important to the education of local

school children until 1965," the inscription on the marker states.

Boston is seeking help from the public in this investigation. He asked

that anyone with information in regard to the fire contact his office at

(606) 348-5416.

     

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