Hutchinson ? The oldest public building in Hutchinson is now a pile of rubble.

A handsome, two-story gabled house built in 1887 was demolished this week for lack of money to restore it.

The building, on land next to the Hutchinson Public Library, was the home of the Emerson Carey family until it was donated in 1924 to the Women’s Civic Center Club. In 2001 the club was no longer able to maintain the house, and the Carey family heirs gave it to the library.

The library passed it on to the Hutchinson/Reno Arts & Humanities Council on the condition that the council raise money to restore it. Those efforts fell through, so the house has been razed. Library officials are now considering what to do with the land.

The house was listed on the Register of Historic Places in Kansas.