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Residents grieve loss of historic barn By BILL CHOY Ashland Daily Tidings Howard Prairie Lake - The investigation of the Lily Glen barn fire closed quickly, but the emotional ties to the historic structure are likely to remain for some time. The Office of the State Fire Marshal, which has investigators working the scene, determined Monday that the fire was human-caused. Deputy Fire Marshal Michelle Stevens said the barn had no electricity, hay or other materials that could cause spontaneous combustion, and no lightning was reported at the time. There was not enough evidence to determine if the fire was set accidentally or on purpose, she said, closing the investigation. Local resident Jeremy Torrey, 24, watched in silence Monday as investigators completed their work. Torrey's family has lived a quarter-mile from the barn for 23 years. Torrey has many fond memories of walking past the barn on warm summer days, or whizzing by while using his snowmobile in the winter. "It's part of our history,'' he said. "I'm pretty speechless." The Lily Glen barn, about 18 miles from Ashland, was built nearly 100 years ago and had been a popular site for equestrian events for decades. Late Monday morning, small flames and billowing smoke still rose from the ashen remains of the barn. Randy Hutton, program manager for Jackson County Parks, watched as investigators looked for clues. While park workers will search for anything of value in the ash, Hutton was realistic. "There's probably nothing left, but who knows?'' he said. Hutton said several people who have used the facility throughout the years stopped by on Monday to see what remained of the barn. "It's a huge loss,'' he said. "It was the focal point of the equestrian park and now it's gone.'' It was a sentiment shared by nearly everyone around the area. Vicki Mankey, who lives near the barn, was alerted to the fire by a honking horn from a passing motorist Sunday evening. She went outside and saw the flames lighting the area. The fire was reported at about 10 p.m. Sunday near milepost 18 on Dead Indian Memorial Road in the Howard Prairie Lake area, the Oregon Department of Forestry said. By the time ODF fire crews arrived, the barn was completely engulfed in flames, ODF officials said. In a few hours, it had burned to the ground. Nearby structures, including a few corrals, were not damaged. Damage to the barn and its contents was estimated at $250,000, Stevens said. Jackson County leases the barn area from the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation and manages it as a park. The Lily Glen barn was listed on the Jackson County register of historic places. A number of equestrian events have been held on the grounds over the years. The barn hosted the Lily Glen Horse Trials during Labor Day weekend for years, until high costs discontinued the event in 1997. The trials received national attention and attracted Olympian equestrian riders. "If the barn could talk, it could tell so many wonderful memories from the time it was built,'' said Corkee Shaffstall of Medford, who organized the Lily Glen Horse Trials from 1982 to 1997. "It's just a very sad loss for the community.'' The equestrian park will remain open, Hutton said. But it's unclear whether the barn will be rebuilt. "We've got to get together and see where we go from here,'' Hutton said. "But [the barn] is priceless. ... It can't be replaced.'' LINKS: DAILY TIDINGS: Main | News | Sports | Obituaries | Opinion | Columnists | AP News | Subscribe | Archives | Weather | Classifieds | Contact Us | Privacy REVELS: Main | Calendar | Dining | Movies | T.V. OTHER: Road Cams Copyright 2003 Ashland Daily Tidings 541.482.3456. 1661 Siskiyou Blvd., Ashland, OR 97520. Ottaway Newspapers, Inc. - Advertisers -