The biggest casualty of the late-night fire in Putney was not the 200-year-old general store building that burned to the ground in minutes, although that was the most tangible consequence of the rapid inferno.
Rather, it was the loss of the time, energy, love, and money that members of the Putney Historical Society - and the whole community - invested in the renovation to the building that had housed the oldest general store in the state.
The building that was such a symbol of the past served as a hope for the future, and now it's gone.
But no fire can ever destroy the accomplishment, and triumph, of how the Putney Historical Society raised hundreds of thousands of dollars, banded together volunteers, forged friendships and alliances, and worked to save a store that would have deteriorated beyond repair after the fire that severely damaged the structure in 2008.
In so many ways, large and small, the efforts of Historical Society President Stuart Strothman, Project Manager Lyssa Papazain, and so many others to preserve this worthy building will live on in the spirit of other preservation projects this work inspired.
With the passing of time, maybe that thought can serve as small comfort.
For now, as the acrid smell of smoke lingers over Putney, no words can suffice.