Picking up the pieces: Area residents remember Inntiquity

Oct. 03--A day after a fire destroyed a popular Logansport landmark, community members are reminiscing about memories of Inntiquity and asking how they can help the owners.

Inntiquity Inn caught on fire Wednesday morning, Oct. 1, with firefighters responding at about 9:30 a.m. The fire quickly spread throughout the old dairy farm, making it a total loss.

Ladeema Burns and her family stayed at Inntiquity about six years ago for a couple of weeks when their home caught on fire.

"When we did have the fire and we didn't have a home, George and Lee, they just really made us feel like that was our home," Burns said. "So it was very emotional seeing that."

According to Rex Danely, lieutenant with the Cass County Fire District, the Indiana State Fire Marshal is still working on investigating the cause of the fire.

Two friends of the Naftzger family, owners of Inntiquity, a Country Inn, created a GoFundMe webpage to collect donations to aid the family in coping with the fire aftermath. They asked Judy Masters, owner of Judy's Good Life Emporium, to be a local contact for raising funds.

Inntiquity Inn GoFundMe webpage

Masters said people used the B&B for weddings, class reunions, luncheons and also for Friday night dinners. She's been there many times, including for yearly business meetings.

Ladeema and her husband, Patrick Burns, had also stayed there for their honeymoon, and stayed the night there and had candlelight dinners several times for Patrick's birthday.

Patrick and Ladeema Burns stayed in every single room in the B&B that had a whirlpool tub, and she said her favorite was the yellow rose room.

Masters called the inn "a meticulously furnished, well thought out place."

"A lot of consideration went into the selection of what was displayed there and how they rooms were furnished," she said.

Masters said people have been asking on social media what the family needs since the fire. She said when it comes to recovering after losing everything in a fire, gift cards or money donations are best.

"You never know what their necessities are," Masters said. "If they need toothpaste, who knows what kind of toothpaste they need. They could end up with 500 tubes of different kinds of toothpaste, which is irrelevant. More than anything, they need to be able to go get the stuff they need."

Masters said raising money will act as a bridge between the shock of the tragedy and the time it takes to work on insurance claims. She said it takes time to do an inventory on items and present claims, so right now, the family just needs to get necessities.

George and Lee Naftzger lived in the inn, Masters said, so they had to move into a house next to the bed and breakfast which had been used as storage for years. Leslie Naftzger, daughter and cook at the inn, said her parents needed linens, so Masters brought over sheets and pillows so the couple could have a place to sleep.

Masters added that the owners didn't ask for funds to come in, but the GoFundMe page is acting as a way for people in the community to give.

"A lot of people have a lot of losses, a lot of people have a lot of need for things. I don't mean to imply we need a big charity fundraiser for that particular reason," Masters said. "Our response ... only happened because people said, what can we do? And what do they need?"

She said the natural response is to give items or food in a tragedy. However, in the case of a fire, Masters said it should be opposite.

"It would be helpful if you could just grab a $10 Visa card," Masters said. "For some reason, that doesn't translate right, people don't think in those terms, that's not stuff. They want to do cards and gifts, and frankly, they don't have any place to put stuff."

Reach Ben Middelkamp at 574-732-5117 or [email protected]

REMEMBERING INNTIQUITY

Readers of the Pharos-Tribune Facebook page shared their memories of Inntiquity:

Kathleen Krueger: The second night I was married to Mark we stayed at the Inntiquity. It was a cold, snowy January night. There was a layer of snow on the hot tub. It was romantic and amazing. We were hoping to go back to celebrate an anniversary someday.

Tricia Nestleroad: On my wedding day, my bridal party & I prepared at Inntiquity. They were so kind & helpful. We even had some pictures taken there. My husband & I spent our wedding night there as well. We loved it!! It was rich in both character & history that will be deeply missed. We are deeply saddened as we had hope to spend anniversaries there as well.

Monique Suiter: I have worked there off and on for about 11 years! Working with and for the Naftzgers was trying at times as we didn't always see eye to eye. But all in all they were VERY good to me! I loved waitressing there. My most favorite time to wait tables had to have been Mother's Day. As a mother of four, I fully understand the meaning of a good meal and it gave me great satisfaction serving some incredible people. This past Mother's Day though this mother and daughter came in and I was serving 45 people by myself and they were the last to be seated of the day. I was so busy and they were so kind and understanding. They tipped me considerably more than their bill and gave me a huge hug! I will forever remember them and be grateful. I will miss the Inntiquity Inn! Leslie and Rana will always be in my heart!

Holli Rachell Larimore: We had my bridal shower there, and it was beautiful. Good food and good fun! I am really glad my sister, Krista Walters, decided to host my shower there. It's sad that the inn is now gone.

Whitney Gregorich: My husband and I spent our honeymoon and first anniversary there the landscape was beautiful the whole inside was gorgeous and the food was great. We are really going to miss the Inntiquity. I was actually a waitress for a day there too for a get together.

Michelle Shelly Branscum Stotler: My hubby and I stayed there in the honeymoon suite on our wedding night! So heartbreaking to see it burnt down!

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