Milam County Historical Commission
Milam County, Texas
Milam County, Texas
Blaze Destroys Historic Home
by Deborah McKeon
Temple Daily Telegram - November 21, 2014
The historic 1895 home of C.H. (Charlie) and Caroline Yoe, who provided the funding for
the building of C.H. Yoe High School in Cameron, burned to the ground Wednesday night.
Cameron Fire Chief Henry Horelica said the cause of the fire is not yet known.
The house, which was all wood except for a brick chimney and tin roof, was in the
process of being renovated for the last several years by the Austin owner, but no
electricity or other utilities were connected to it, Horelica said.
Neighbors are being questioned to see if anyone saw or heard anything Wednesday night
that was suspicious. None of the neighbors reported seeing anyone coming or going from
the house recently and it was boarded up. However, Horelica said boards could have been
removed so someone could gain access.
The house is a total loss, Horelica said on Thursday. The old wood assisted in the
rapid burning process, he said.
The fire was called in at 8:40 p.m., and members of the Cameron Volunteer Fire
Department responded at 8:44 p.m. to the structure at the corner of West 10th Street
and North Travis Avenue.
The official Milam County Appraisal District address for the house is 908 N. Houston
because the front door faced North Houston, Cameron Police Chief Randy Dixon said.
The second floor was almost fully engulfed when firefighters arrived, Horelica said.
Firefighters first tried an interior attack, but debris from the second floor was
falling down on them.
Since no one lived there, the firefighters moved outside to man the hoses and pour
water on the fire, Horelica said.
Sparks from the fire were blowing five blocks down U.S. Highway 77, forcing
firefighters to protect other buildings in the area. The Rockdale Volunteer Fire
Department was called in to help fight the fire and to cover the city in case another
emergency arose because all of Cameron’s firefighting equipment was at the fire,
Horelica said.
The fire was under control just after 10:30 p.m. Most of the firefighters left the
scene at about 1 a.m., except for a booster truck and a few firefighters to make sure
the fire didn’t flare back up again.
A backhoe was brought in Thursday morning to move the tin that was covering hot spots.
All firefighters left the scene at about 1 p.m. Thursday. The fire was completely out
although steam was still coming from the brick chimney.
Members of the Cameron Ladies Auxiliary kept the firefighters going throughout the long
night by providing water, hot chocolate and hot cof- fee, Horelica said.
The house was originally built by T.M. Sapp for Henry T. Crawford. It had a massive
gambrel roof with a three-story tower.
After the death of the Yoes’ only child, a daughter who was 5 years old, the Yoe family
decided to help all Cameron children by funding C.H. Yoe High School.
The old house was used for 4 years during Halloween as a haunted house for Milam County
Crime Stoppers, but the haunted house location was moved to another location so that
the displays didn’t have to be dismantled yearly.
dmckeon@tdtnews.com
All Credit for this article
goes to Deborah McKean
and the
Temple Daily Telegram
goes to Deborah McKean
and the
Temple Daily Telegram
The historic home of C.H. (Charlie)
and Caroline Yoe was built in 1895 by
T. M. Sapp for Henry T. Crawford.
The house was destroyed in a fire Monday night.
and Caroline Yoe was built in 1895 by
T. M. Sapp for Henry T. Crawford.
The house was destroyed in a fire Monday night.
.