DICKINSON, Texas — One of the oldest homes in Dickinson was gutted by fire following an apparent lightning strike Tuesday.
Three firefighters went to the hospital after the fire burned through the home on Park Avenue along the edge of Dickinson Bayou. Fortunately, they're all expected to be OK after being treated for smoke inhalation and an injured knee.
The family inside the home made it out safely.
“There’s no way to measure what the loss is because there are generations associated with it," homeowner Clark Wright told KHOU 11. His wife, Cora, is the builder's great-great-granddaughter who’s lived here all of her life.
“It really is losing the history of the house that is devastating to us," Wright said
Fire crews salvaged a few items, including some precious family china.
"Fire department got what they could get out of it," Wright said. “There’s an awful lot that’s lost but we’re glad to be safe."
They plan to rebuild on the property that's been such an important part of their family's history.
Fire crews with Dickinson, Santa Fe, and League City were still putting out hotspots Wednesday morning. The cause of the fire is under investigation.
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Nicholstone on the Bayou
According to the Dickinson Historical Society, Nicholstone on the Bayou was built in the mid-1850s by Galveston businessman Ebenezer B. Nichols as a summer home. He consulted with local Native Americans to find the highest point on the bayou, according to the historical society's website.
Nichols served as a captain in the Army of the Republic of Texas and a general in the Civil War. He was the first president of the G.H.&H Railroad, first president of the Bank of Galveston and served in the Texas Legislature.
When Nichols died in 1872, his estate was split among seven sons. One of them, land developer and entrepreneur Fred Nichols, bought the home from his brother in 1890. Fred was a land developer and entrepreneur who had big dreams for Dickinson, according to the Nicholstone website.
Fred converted 40 acres of his estate into a public park, the Dickinson Picnic Grounds. He was responsible for the layout of Dickinson streets east of the G.H.&H. railroad, the website says, and served as Galveston County tax assessor/collector for 21 years until his death in 1935.
The home has remained in the family for over 170 years.
"This tragic event serves as a poignant reminder of the importance of preserving our community's history and cherishing the architectural treasures that tell our story," Dickinson spokeswoman Jaree Hefner said. "The loss of the Nicholstone Home is deeply felt by the residents of Dickinson and beyond."