HISTORY IN THE MAKING? The David Drummond House (1310 State St., Eau Claire), pictured above, was built in 1888 and remains one of the last structures still standing in the city, from that era. In September, a fire broke out at the home and its roof eventually collapsed. Since then, the current status of the landmark — and if it will be revived — has yet to be determined.

About one month ago, a sudden fire broke out at the historic David Drummond House (1310 State St., Eau Claire). Three firefighters were injured during the hours-long fire, and the historic home's roof collapsed. Since then, little has been reported on the current status of the landmark and if it will be – or can be – revived.

The Queen Anne style home was built in 1888 and is one of few structures still standing in Eau Claire from that era. Designated on both the National Register and local register of historic spaces, it has since become one of the most recognizable structures in the Third Ward neighborhood – and in the city.

As the investigation into the fire’s cause continues, Eau Claire community members anxiously await the home’s verdict: Preservation and restoration, or demolition of an iconic piece of living history?

The historic David Drummond House on State street in Eau Claire, pictured above, caught fire on Sept. 12. (Photo by Krista Johnson)

Robert Haller, the deputy chief of the Eau Claire fire department, said as the fire rapidly intensified — with signs of a potential roof collapse — all residents and parties within the home were quickly evacuated due to safety concerns.

“(Firefighters) were encountering fire on the second, third, and fourth floor,” Haller said. “But they were having problems getting access and hoses to come into those areas … (it) being that kind of a (historic) building.”

The David Drummond House is currently owned and managed by EDJ Rentals. The Eau Claire rental business offers housing for off-campus students and other Eau Claire residents and, according to its website, specializes in “historic housing.”

Chelsy Kuhlow, property manager at EDJ Rentals, said it is still unknown whether or not the State St. home will be “salvageable.”

“(EDJ Rentals is) still in discussions with our insurance provider, architects, and contractors to explore all available options,” Kuhlow said.

On Oct. 14 (after Volume One's Oct. 16 issue, which features this article, went to print) Joe Garlick, co-owner of EDJ Rentals, shared the rental company — since the fire — has involved several construction companies and EDJ's insurance provider to explore what options are possible for the property moving forward.

“We have had four, maybe even five different companies looking at (the house),” Garlick said. “From the masonry, to the chimneys, to the roof (and) to the interior; we really haven't gotten into the nitty-gritty details yet, other than trying to understand what the rough impact would be financially to put (the house) back together.”

The City of Eau Claire’s Landmarks Commission regulates the construction, reconstruction, and alterations of landmark sites within the city’s historic districts, including the Third Ward neighborhood.

Aaron White, the City’s community development director, and Bill Youngberg, the City’s inspections manager, said they are working with the Landmarks Commission and fire department to determine if it is possible to preserve the Drummond House.

“As this (home) is listed on the state (and) National Historical Registry, there are reviews that have to be done as they go through, and certificates of appropriateness get issued by (the Landmarks Commission) to make sure the renovation – or the rebuilds – are followed within the guidelines set through those historical designations,” the two City staffers shared.

At the time of this story’s publication, White and Youngberg said initial conversations with ownership have been productive. Garlick and EDJ Rentals ownership reached out to the City directly with hopes to potentially save the home.

A bird's-eye view of the Drummond House on State street — and its roof — with exposed damage from the September fire.

“We have been working with the owner to help find any additional resources to help with the historical restoration and rebuild of that building,” White said, also detailing the increase in expenses to rebuild a historic property compared to demolition or modern-day construction.

“We are helping them identify any potential resources to help offset some of those costs, to let the owner keep the historical aspects of the property,” White said.

The building owners have been connected with a regional group which works with the restoration of historical properties, White said, in order to explore the possibility of securing tax credits at the state level to help fund any potential restoration.

Garlick said he — along with the EDJ rentals team — understands the historical impact of the State street home and values the preservation of historic homes in the Chippewa Valley. 

“We own seven historical properties in the Third Ward (neighborhood),” Garlick said. “We take a lot of pride in trying to do what we can to keep those properties and preserve them.”

He hopes to have a clearer direction on solutions for the Drummond house moving forward, in the next two to three weeks, he added. 

“We are looking at a lot of different avenues on the financial element(s) of this building,” Garlick said. “We are investigating if there are any grants out there; we have thought of things even like a GoFundMe page to help bridge the gap between the value of the property and the cost to reconstruct it — but none of that has been decided.”

Due to the size of the Drummond House, the number of displaced tenants, and the extensive damage due to the fire, the investigation into the fire’s origin is still ongoing, Haller said.

Tenants displaced from the Drummond House are receiving assistance from UW-Eau Claire, the American Red Cross, and other local support systems, Haller added.

Eau Claire’s Landmarks Commission will have its next meeting in November; the agenda has yet to be finalized, City staffers said. If and when the commission is presented with plans for the Drummond House, it will be driven by information provided by the property owner.

This is a developing story with future updates to come from Volume One. Additional information on the City of Eau Claire’s Landmarks Commission, City staff mentioned, and the Eau Claire Fire Department can be found online at eauclairewi.gov.