photo by Kevin Zadina: Firefighters battle flames at the Staplehurst building housing Hymark Towing and Stutzman Taxidermy May 2.

    by Kevin L. Zadina
     A building that had withstood the test of time for 123 years burned to the ground in Staplehurst May 2.
     The building, which is owned by Monte Stava of Staplehurst, housed the office for Hymark Towing, which Stava owns. It was also home to Stutzman Taxidermy and used for storage.
     The building, located on the corner of Main and Fourth streets, was originally the Ockens Shoe Store and housed a number of other businesses over the years including the Sports Tavern for many years. Stava owned the building for eight years.
     The fire, which was reported at 1:51 p.m., started in the rear portion of the building and spread through the ceiling and walls.
     Smoke could be seen from Seward and at times the dark black smoke blanketed Staplehurst. Flames were 30 feet high after the roof collapsed.
     Tires on the top of a two-story building on the opposite side of Fourth Street started on fire, but were quickly extinguished. A firefighter grabbed the tires and threw them off the roof as water was applied. Damage to that building was minimal.
     Stava's building burned all night and was bulldozed into a pile the next morning to finish burning.
     The Staplehurst Fire Department stayed on the scene during the night. The Seward Fire Department aided them on May 2. The cause of the fire is unknown at this time.
     The building was valued at $18,233, according to the Seward County assessor's website.
     Shawn Stutzman, who owns Stutzman Taxidermy, said he has been in business six years and was in the building for four years.
     Stutzman said he lost all of his taxidermy equipment.
     "I will work out of my home until I get a plan," Stutzman said. "I lost everything I built up the six years."
     He lost 12 clients' deer mounts, but said he didn't keep the antlers at the site and will be able to work on reconstructing some of the mounts.
     Also lost was an ibex, which is a type of wild mountain goat with large curved horns. Ibex are found in Eurasia, North Africa and East Africa and are hunted in the United States on exotic game farms.
     Stutzman said there were a number of bobcats, coyotes, foxes and turkeys in the freezers, which were all destroyed.