SHAMOKIN - The city may have lost its only remaining barn.
Damaged by fire last year, the two-story wooden structure located behind homes in the 100 block of Sunbury Street (Route 61) near First United Methodist Church was razed last week, to the delight of neighboring property owners, but with a twinge of sadness for a bygone era.
The building was set ablaze on March 11 by three city youths who were charged with arson.
Rick Bozza, Shamokin City code enforcement officer, said the building was taken down by Knoppel's Demolition of Shamokin.
"A company contacted me about bringing a home on Sunbury Street up to code so it could be sold, and I told them about the burned-out barn behind it and that I wanted to see that come down before anything," Bozza said. "On Feb. 27, they had the company come in and bring it down very quickly."
Mark Anonia, son of Dr. Frank and Barbara Anonia, who own a neighboring property, was happy to see it razed.
"I'm glad," he said Monday. "After the fire, I felt it was a hazard to my parents' property and an eyesore. I was afraid a storm would collapse it."
Anonia is saddened, however, to see what he believes was Shamokin's last "horse barn" razed. Despite its location just a block off of a state highway in the middle of a heavy residential area, the barn was the site of a pheasant raising operation by one of its previous owners, who sold the birds to the Keystone Fish and Game Association, Anonia said.
"I think it is sad that we lost another part of history, but happy to see it cleaned up for a brighter future of the old neighborhood," Anonia said.
As for the defendants, the youngest youth told police he was at the building with the two other boys when he saw one of them pull out a lighter and hand it to the other. That boy then ignited a piece of paper and threw it against a wall of the building.
All three pleaded guilty to a charge of criminal conspiracy to commit arson and received sentences of probation, community service and fines.