Historic Rabbit Hash General Store burnt to the ground

The Rabbit Hash General Store, a 184-year-old landmark in a tiny Boone County town on the Ohio River was heavily damaged by fire late Feb. 13. The town's historical society, which owned the business vows to rebuild it. Fire investigators have ruled out arson as a potential cause for a fire that destroyed the historic Rabbit Hash General Store. The fire originated in the roof and eventually caused it to collapse. Bellevue-McVille Fire Chief Jeff Herms we'll likely never learn the exact cause of the blaze due to the roof collapse.  

The Rabbit Hash residents who worked for decades to preserve the historic buildings of their small river town are already planning to rebuild their iconic Rabbit Hash General Store after it burned to the ground Saturday.

In its approximately 185 years in existence, the clapboard store on Lower River Road in Boone County withstood all manner of threats — multiple floods, landslides and the Great Depression, to name a few. Through it all, the store and its recognizable front facade remained an unmistakable landmark in Northern Kentucky culture.

The fire was reported about 9:15 p.m., and about 11:30 p.m. firefighters pulled down the picturesque facade of the store. Later, the front sign of the store was salvaged from the wreckage and stored in a nearby barn.

The fire that began inside the building was too much for the old, mostly-wooden structure, however. Four fire departments battled the blaze for nearly five hours in near-sub-zero temperatures and was destroyed.

The store had been in continual operation since 1831, according to the Rabbit Hash Historical Society – a span in which 38 U.S. presidents took office. It was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1989.

Man that stinks.

Col. JD Wilkes from Th' Legendary Shack Shakers is already organizing a benefit concert to help rebuild. Should be a good one!!

There is also a benefit ride already scheduled

They will rebuild. I hope they try to save as much of the wood that is left to put back in the new place. Be really cool to even leave up the one wall that wasn't burned. but in todays world they may just drop the whole thing and build a new one.

I read that the the floor and the building supports survived the fire with very little to no damage. Sounds like they are hoping they can build right on top of the original floor.

That would be nice.

I never was at the store ,but I hate to see old buildings burn. hope they get it rebuild back.

Duke Energy is presenting a $25,000.00 check to the Rabbit Hash General Store proprietor this morning to help with the rebuild.