Historic inn to be restored
The landmark Century Inn, gutted by fire, will be rebuilt.
A restoration crew has begun to peel back the charred remains of the Century Inn in Scenery Hill.
SCENERY HILL – A restoration contractor expects to have Century Inn reopened in a year in Scenery Hill, where the landmark tavern was gutted by an August fire.
Jim Emery of Cost Cleaning & Restoration in Eighty Four said construction should begin after an architect inspects the stone building and issues a report on its condition.
“It should be up and running in a year,” Emery said last week while workers cleaned up the debris at the tavern, which dates to 1794.
The accidental fire sparked late Aug. 17 by an electrical malfunction in a first-floor equipment room spread quickly, destroying a 1950s addition and heavily damaging the interior of the three-story building at 2175 Route 40.
The fire resulted in a huge outpouring of sorrow from families who celebrated life’s events in what was one of the oldest taverns in continuous operation along the nation’s first interstate highway.
The owner, Megin Harrington, also lost her home and art and antiques collections.
Emery said much of the original structure facing Route 40 is still intact, except for the plaster.
The building also needs a new roof, he said.
The third floor above the rear of the inn, however, may not be reconstructed in its entirety.
“I’m really excited about it,” said Clay Kilgore, executive director of Washington County Historical Society.
Kilgore said the inn is among the most historically significant buildings in the county.
“Like everyone, I’ve been waiting for them to make an announcement as to what was going to happen after the fire,” Kilgore said Monday.