Salvage begins at historic Fresno home destroyed by fire

Fresno city staff picked through the rubble of the Rehorn Home looking for historical items to salvage Thursday afternoon in downtown Fresno.

The home, on the National Register of Historic Places, was destroyed by fire Monday night.

The stately home a block from St. John’s Cathedral was built around the turn of the last century by Frank Rehorn, a leading building contractor who was involved in Fresno’s early expansion in the 20th century.

From the 1940s through the 1970s, it went through other uses, including as a convent and a home for unwed mothers. Architects William E. Patnaude and Allen Y. Lew purchased the home in the mid-1970s and restored it to its original condition for use as their office.

This story was originally published February 4, 2016 at 5:13 PM with the headline "Salvage begins at historic Fresno home destroyed by fire."