The rebuilding process will soon begin on the Loudon County courthouse months after a fire ravaged the historic town centerpiece.
The 150-year-old building caught fire back in April, destroying the second floor where the courtrooms were located and causing massive water damage across the entire building after crews battled it for hours.
Mayor Buddy Bradshaw said cleanup has been happening since April and is expected to finish up soon, allowing repair and refurbishment work to begin.
On Wednesday, Bradshaw offered hope with a vision for the restoration process. He said they're aiming to repair, rather than fully replace, the historic structure.
"Our goal is to make it look just like it did the night it caught fire. We're going to keep the walls intact and everything inside may look historic but fore the most part will be new," Bradshaw said. "Another one is our staircases inside. They are very beautiful, very majestic, and that's one of the other goals is to keep our staircases intact, as well."
The mayor said the new building might look like the original, but will be fully modern with better safety features in place and modernized facilities.
Bradshaw said the courthouse had always been a centerpiece of the town, so the county intends to restore it to ensure it continues to serve the community as it had before the fire.
"This is what the community wants -- to see the courthouse rebuilt and brought back to its previous glory," he said.
A state structural assessment back in May showed the courthouse's skeleton had largely survived the fire, which will allow rebuilding to take place. The assessment concluded the historic structure had been in excellent shape prior to the fire, saying it should not 'pose excessive challenges in returning the building to a pre-fire condition.'
Bradshaw said the next step will take some time to complete, and is hoping people can remain patient to see the courthouse restored.
The county is still in talks about also building a second annex on the riverfront.