By Mary Drier
Staff Writer
GAGETOWN — There were some tense moments when a security alarm sounded there was something wrong at a Thumb area historical site.
At about 3:17 p.m., last Saturday, Friends of the Thumb Octagon Barn received a call from its security system company that smoke was detected in the basement of the Purdy home which is part of Thumb Octagon Barn Agricultural Museum complex at 6948 Richie Rd, Gagetown.
“Doug Monroe took the call and met the Elmwood and Elkland Township fire departments at the scene,” explained Rose Putnam, who is one of the friends of the Thumb Octagon Barn.
However, due to the snow drifts on the roadway, the vehicles had to be parked and some of those responding walked to the house.
“The furnace had quit running due to lack of propane in the tank. The gauge on the tank was broken and still read that propane was in the tank. The kitchen sink pipe burst and water had run into the electrical box of the dryer just below, which caused a short and started a fire,” explained Putnam.
“The only damage was some smoke along the basement wall and water in the kitchen.”
The Elmwood – Gagetown and the Elkland – Cass City fire departments responded to the scene, according to Tuscola County Central Dispatch Director Bob Klenk.
“It’s a good news, bad news story. This is the first real test of the security system installed back in 2012, which worked and was worth every penny spent,” said Putnam. “The bad news was that we had to have this incident to test it.”
While most of the attention centers around the eight-sided barn owned by James and Cora Purdy, their home is impressive in its own right. The 15-room house has eight bedrooms, and is described as a ‘Craftsman” style bungalow, which popular during the early 1920s. The first floor has six rooms including a large parlor with a natural stone fireplace, a formal dining room, kitchen and a bedroom with its own attached bathroom. The upstairs has seven bedrooms. There is a full-unfinished attic and full basement with five rooms.
Over the years the Purdy homestead was sold several times before it was abandoned and became state property. However a few people saw the unique potential of the barn and house and fought to preserve it. Those individuals, who became the Friends of the Octagon Barn, hosted the first family day fundraiser Sept. 14, 1996, to generate funds for repairs. Today, the octagon barn and house have been restored to their former glory and is a showcase of rural life in the early 1900s because of that effort.
Mary Drier is a staff writer for the Tuscola County Advertiser. She can be reached at drier@tcadvertiser.com.