By PHYLLIS ZORN

Staff writer

A Monday night fire devastated a historic Marion house and took firefighters from three towns seven hours to extinguish.

The house, at 205 N. Lincoln St., was built in 1885 and was once the home of E.W. Hoch, Kansas governor from 1905 to 1909.

Fire investigator Chris Mercer was at the scene Tuesday morning to inspect the property.

Marion fire chief Mike Regnier said the flames were high when firefighters arrived on the scene soon after 9:30 p.m. Monday.

“We left at 4:30 this morning,” Regnier said.

Hillsboro and Peabody fire departments were automatically paged to assist because it was a structure fire, Regnier said.

The second story of the house shows the most destruction, but the first story also shows damage.

A woman watching Mercer and Regnier Tuesday morning said she lived in the house with her 12-year-old daughter and both escaped without injury. She did not want to give her name.

Mounted next to the entry of the house is a plaque reading “1885.”

The plaque was one of several created by a Marion historical group.

“It’s one of the historical houses in Marion,” said Norma Kline.

Kline said the home might best be remembered as the longtime home of Laurel Schroeder Gilbert. She and her first husband operated Schroeder Produce, Kline said.

Kline and her husband, Gerald, own another home with a similar plaque.

According to the county appraiser’s website, the property is now owned by Jeffrey and Kathy Inlow of Florence.