Fire damages Doylestown Historical Society building. This collection was lost in blaze

A suspected electrical fire before dawn Thursday seriously damaged a Doylestown Historical Society building that houses offices and exhibits including an extensive privately-owned hat collection.

The historical society's board will meet Friday to discuss next steps and renovation plans, its Chairman Ron Strouse said Thursday.

A passerby spotted smoke around 5:30 a.m. on the first floor of the front building in the 50 block of South Main Street, and called 911, Strouse said. 

 Doylestown Fire Co. No. 1 was on the scene in minutes with six other fire companies assisting, according to the company’s Facebook post. Six other fire companies and an EMS team assisted in the response.  No injuries were reported.

Doylestown Fire Chief Michael Wood did not immediately respond to an email Thursday seeking information.

The Historical Society had been operating out of the building for 25 of its 27 years in existence, and has undergone upgrades in recent years, Strouse said. 

The fire started in a newer front addition of the building that is mostly used to display exhibits and artifacts, Strouse said.  

The most serious damage was to the rear of the building, which was the 1820 Magill School House, which will likely need to be demolished, Strouse said. 

“It will take considerable effort to restore it,” he added. 

Photos of the fire posted on Facebook show damage to the windows and the interior of the addition, as well as smoke damage on the window and outer wall of the original building.

What was lost in Doylestown Historical Society fire?

The fire destroyed items in two displays including 50 mostly early 20th-century hats as part of an exhibit on Doylestown millinery and men's hat manufacturer history dating back to the 19th century. The exhibit was slated to run through mid-April. 

Most of the hats were part of a collection on loan from Lynn Anne Donchez, a popular local salon owner that will be featured in an upcoming YouTube video history series. 

“It’s safe to say that the entire collection was destroyed,” Strouse said.

Also destroyed are costumes the historical society used in local parades and community events including Mrs. Santa Claus, Lady Liberty and Uncle Sam, Strouse said. 

Also lost in the fire are artifacts that were part of a display that recreated the office of William Edgar Geil, an evangelical missionary and international explorer who was born in New Britain Township and lived in Doylestown.  

The exhibit included a desk and typewriter that belonged to Geil, Strouse said. In 2007, the family of a collector donated the bulk of Geil’s papers and photographs to the Doylestown Historical Society.

The front building where the fire occurred is one of two buildings the historical society owns, which are separated by a park area.   

The bulk of the society's archives are stored in the second rear building that was unaffected by the fire. The rear building also houses a gallery and research center, where many of the society’s programs and events take place, Strouse said.

Strouse expressed gratitude to firefighters for saving “a lot of irreplaceable historical artifacts and records.  He also expressed appreciation for the support the society has received since the fire news broke.

“It’s been nothing short of impressive the outpouring of the people in the community,” he said.  

This is a developing story. Check back for updates

Jess Rohan can be reached at jrohan@gannett.com; Reporter Jo Ciavaglia can be reached at jciavaglia@gannett.com