Wednesday, February 17, 2016

Templeton house, dating to 1763, damaged by fire

  • Templeton house, dating to 1763, damaged by fire

  • Flames shoot from the barn of the former Pushee house and antique shop on Templeton Common Tuesday night.Flames shoot from the barn of the former Pushee house and antique shop on Templeton Common Tuesday night. Facebook Photo/Templeton Fire Dept./Bryan Favreau
  • Flames shoot from the barn of the former Pushee house and antique shop on Templeton Common Tuesday night.The cause of the fire at the old Joshua Wright Tavern is under investigation.
  • By George Barnes
    Telegram & Gazette Staff

    Posted Feb. 17, 2016 at 9:20 AM
    Updated at 11:32 AM

    TEMPLETON - One of the town's most historic buildings was damaged by fire early Wednesday.
    Firefighters were able to save the main house at 29 Boynton Road, but a rear section of the house and a garage were destroyed.
    The cause of the fire is under investigation, according to Fire Chief Raymond LaPorte.
    The chief said firefighters were called out at just after midnight to battle the fire. He said the rear section of the building which was formally a barn was in flames when firefighters arrived.
    "They made a great stop," he said.
    He said firefighters were able to halt the fire on two sides, preventing it from reaching the main house and a garage area on the other side of the former barn.
    The house is the second oldest home in town, built in 1763. Known as the Joshua Wright Tavern, it was originally built two houses in front of the First Church parsonage. It was later moved to its current location, next to the Boynton Public Library. The library was not damaged in the fire.
    The building was owned for many years by George and Marjorie Pushee, who ran a kindergarten and later an antiques business in the section damaged by the fire. After Mr. Pushee died last year, it was purchased by Rudolph Sundstrom of Templeton.
    Firefighters from Barre, Gardner, Hubbardston and Winchendon assisted Templeton.
    Deputy Chief David Dickie who was in charge at the fire scene said it is the third fire in town in a week.
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1 comment:

  1. Beverly BartolomeoFebruary 18, 2016 at 10:45 AM

    "The third fire in town in a week" ?? What's up ? The barn was supposed to be empty, so do we have a bad person in our midst ?? Good job to the guys on the fire department. This house could have been gone, with out a doubt. It would have left a ugly hole in the line of homes leaving the Common.

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