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Historic Building Burns Down, Investigation Underway

Hopkinsville Fire Department

A historic building in downtown Hopkinsville that caught fire Wednesday night has been called a total loss. The Pete Postell Building, located on East Sixth Street was one of the oldest buildings in Hopkinsville and was named after its original owner, Peter Postell, a former slave.

Hopkinsville Mayor Carter Hendricks says Postell became one of the most successful African-American business owners in the city’s history. Hendricks says an investigation into the cause of the fire is still underway.

 

“At this time I have not heard an official determination. Of course the fire began during the height of a severe thunderstorm and so the early assumption was lightning but that has not been confirmed,” said Hendricks.

The building was used as a grocery store, furniture store, saloon, and barber shop in the late 19th century. It also contained meeting rooms and an assembly hall on the upper level.

 

Ebony Clark is a student at Murray State University majoring in computer science. She was born in Brownsville, Tennessee. Ebony has served as a reporter for 4-H congress in Nashville, TN where she spoke with several state leaders and congressmen. Ebony enjoys writing poetry and spoken word and competed in Tennessee's Poetry Out Loud competition hosted by the arts council in Nashville,TN.
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