by Anna Squiers ’20

The historic Olney Ale House caught fire the evening of December 3. The fire started in the kitchen and quickly spread to the second floor through the duct work, and the restaurant was evacuated. There were about 70 firefighters on the scene working to quench the flames, and one firefighter was treated and released after being overheated and dehydrated. Other than this, there were no other injuries.

 The fire did not affect the historic dining and bar area, but there is significant damage to the kitchen and water in the basement. The fire is reported to have started accidentally because combustables were left too close to the stove. Damages to the nearly 100-year-old restaurant are estimated to be about $250,000, and the owners have already begun repairs. 

The Olney Ale House has cycled through many names throughout its course as a restaurant according to their website. In 1924, it opened as The Corner Cupboard, selling homemade ice cream, bread, cookies, pies and cakes, as well as sausage, ham sandwiches, and vegetables grown in their own garden. After being sold in 1937, the name and operation changed to a tea room called the Francis Lattie Inn, where the owner practiced many of the same traditions as the former owners. After cycling through various other owners and names for this store, the Olney Ale House was sold to George, Fred, and Anita Virkus in 1972, who gave it its iconic and long-standing name. Then, in 2000, the Ale House was sold to the current owners. The Olney Ale House has been a household name for many years, and is an important part of the culture of the local community. Many hold this restaurant close to their hearts, so the news of a fire in the building shocked the community members. 

The Olney Ale House had already released a statement on their website addressing the fire and thanking Montgomery County Fire and Rescue. While the restaurant is temporarily closed due to the incident, the owners have announced that they have begun to work on the repairs and are aiming to reopen in early 2020. Thankfully, the fire did not cause enough damage to keep the historic Olney Ale House out of our community for long.