Blaze at historic Sawyer Homestead in Monroe thought to be caused by lightning.
7/20/2013MONROE -- A fire at the historic Sawyer Homestead this morning was extinguished by members of the Monroe Public Safety Department and Monroe Township Fire Department.
The blaze at the building on East Front Street is thought to have been caused by lightning. The fire was reported to the Monroe Public Safety Department about 3:20 a.m.
Responding units saw flames at the top of the building. Most of the damage limited to the cupola and immediate surrounding area.
One occupant was evacuated uninjured. There were no reported injuries to first responders.
The Sawyer Homestead is the site of the home of Monroe's first white settler, Francois Navarre, who bought the land from Potowatomi Indians in 1785, according to the Monroe County Library System. The Navarre home was the military headquarters for American troops prior to the Battle of the River Raisin in the War of 1812.
The site was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1977.