-Messenger photo by Bill Shea
A 126-year-old farmhouse in northern Webster County was destroyed by fire Saturday afternoon. The blaze at 1031 Dakota Ave. was reported at about 3:30 p.m. Significant smoke and flames were coming from the building when the first deputy sheriff arrived. The house later collapsed in flames. The fire also burned some of the grass and brush around the house. The Barnum and Clare fire departments responded along with Webster County sheriff’s deputies. The house was built in 1900, according to online records of the Webster County Assessor’s Office. Those records list Norrine Coleman, of Clare, as the property owner. It was unclear if anyone was actually living in the house, however.