Fire ravaged a historic old building in Mentone late Thursday night and early Friday morning.  Firefighters from around the area battled the blaze at the Hitching Post – a building with a long history in Mentone, and that was undergoing renovations at the time of the fire.

According to a social media post, the current owners of the building were planning to open a business catering to outdoor enthusiasts that come to Lookout Mountain and visit Mentone throughout the year.  They had planned to sell supplies, souvenirs, offer food and even restore the upstairs of the old building for a live music venue.

The owners of the building posted, “We are devastated, but thankful everyone is safe. Heartbroken, but grateful for God’s protective hand on firefighters and surrounding property”.

As of Friday, there was no official word as to what caused the fire.