Fire Departments Save Historic Home
by Nancy Wood,
June 30, 2011, page 4.....

Fire broke out in Eliza and Robert Browning’s house on Wings Point the afternoon of June 16. Randy Fitch, a contractor who was doing finish work on the floors, was just packing up his equipment for the day when he heard a smoke alarm beeping in an upstairs bedroom and investigated. Finding smoke, he called 911 immediately. Within minutes, Charlotte volunteer firefighters were on the scene. “If I lived in this town, I’d be very happy. They were quick!” Fitch said.
The oldest portion of the home is a circa 1830 Greek Revival style inn, part of the original John McNeil Homestead as identified on the National Register of Historic Places.
Charlotte Fire Chief Chris Davis said, “The insurance investigators believe the cause was related to some of the renovation work that was being done to this beautiful landmark home. The fire appears to have started on the second floor hallway where it spread through the walls, windowsills and into the attic and exterior soffit areas.” Davis said that the timely notification by the worker in the building allowed Charlotte emergency responders to call for additional fire departments for assistance immediately.  “Due to the size of the structure, the advance of the fire through the second floor walls and into the attic areas, the high heat that had built up in the attic, additional firefighters were called to assist.” They responded from Shelburne, Hinesburg, Ferrisburgh, Monkton, South Burlington, Bristol, Vergennes and New Haven for a total of over 80 firefighters including Charlotte Fire and Rescue members.  According to Davis, “Vergennes and Shelburne Rescue Squads assisted with rehabilitation of overheated firefighters. One Charlotte fire officer was transported to Fletcher Allen Health Care and treated for heat exhaustion and released later that evening.”
In order to extinguish the persistent fire in the attic, some of the original roof timbers and ridge pole had to be removed. “Bristol and Vergennes firefighters cut away rafters, beams and roof deck that was still burning.” Davis said. “Because we used compressed air Foam on the fire, the attacking crews were able to put this fire out before more of the home was burned. It was a major loss but I believe the home can be rebuilt because the original timbers and construction were so well done originally.”  
Davis added, “All of the emergency responders worked extremely hard to extinguish this fire. They did an excellent job, considering the heat, smoke and advanced attic fire conditions the first crews encountered.  We are fortunate to have such a good working relationship with these neighboring fire departments and rescue squads.”
The McNeil Homestead, including a circa 1800 Federal house, the inn and a c. 1850 barn, was nominated for the National Register of Historic Places in 1981. The property has been divided now, but at that time it was identified as one of the largest tracks of land in private ownership on the lakeshore. It is located on McNeil’s Cove, which was settled by John McNeil around 1786 or 1787. In 1787, McNeil was elected the first Town Clerk of Charlotte and a year later became the first Town Representative. He launched a ferryboat operation between Charlotte and Essex, New York, in 1790, which became a major transportation route between Vermont and northern New York, and remained so until the railroad redirected freight and passenger traffic to alternate routes.
According to the description on the nomination form, John McNeil built the house around 1800. He was succeeded in the ferry business by his son, Charles. In 1821, Charles and H. H. Ross of Essex, New York, received an official charter from the Vermont Legislature for the ferry route and their boats, which were propelled by horse power. The business, as it continued to flourish, prompted Charles to build the inn, probably around 1830.
The inn is described on the form as “a large two-and-one-half story, three by seven bay, gable-roofed structure measuring approximately 60 feet by 30 feet… The gable peaks of the inn are its most obvious Greek Revival style elements and have heavily molded cornices and raking friezes with triangular-shaped attic windows containing diamond-paned sash.”