Fire damages cafe, store at park
Depression-era Devil’s Den building faces long closure
WEST FORK — A popular cafe and store inside an 80-year-old historic building at Devil’s Den State Park likely will be closed to the public for months after catching fire Thursday evening, state park officials said Friday.
No one was hurt in the blaze at the Ridge Runner Cafe and Store. The building, along with the nearby Lee Creek dam and other park structures, was built during the Great Depression era by the Civilian Conservation Corps in a tree-filled valley near the park’s central hub.
The building was evacuated after an employee smelled smoke and called 911 at 5:30 p.m, said Tim Scott, state park assistant superintendent. Volunteer firefighters from Strickler, Boston Mountain and West Fork fire departments fought the blaze.
The fire caused severe interior damage, especially in the kitchen where it started. The roof above the kitchen had a large, jagged hole, but the rest of the exterior looked untouched Friday. Soot coated the inside from ceiling to floor, releasing a powerful campfire smell, while melted plastic from light fixtures and clocks hung like cave stalactites in the store area.
“We really have no answer for how long it’s going to take” to fix it, said Monte Fuller, park superintendent. “It just makes you sick.”
Fuller said he hopes to have the pool next to the building reopened in time for Labor Day weekend. Bug spray, food and other supplies usually sold in the store can be purchased at the park’s visitor center. Scott and Fuller said they’ll also look into other ways to make sure customers’ needs are met.
The fire won’t affect camping, hiking or paddle-boating in the park, which abuts a segment of the Ozark National Forest.
“There’s so much to do here besides the store,” Fuller said. “We’re OK, and it’s going to be rebuilt. You just have to be patient.”
An insurance representative had not inspected the building for possible structural damage by 1 p.m. Friday, Scott said. No cost estimate was available.
The fire marshal investigated the fire Thursday night, and the cause remains unclear, Scott said. Washington County Fire Marshal Dennis Ledbetter didn’t return a message requesting comment Friday afternoon.
The park is designated a National Historic District area and has “what has been called the most complete example of CCC park architecture,” according to the Arkansas State Parks website.
Fuller said he hopes to rebuild the interior to be closer to its original design and get back to its former glory.