History is important to Odessa.
The small southern New Castle County town along the Delaware River is home to some of the finest examples of 18th and 19th century architecture in the state.
So after a fire last Saturday ravaged an 1850s-Victorian home that has housed two of the town's mayors, the community is in mourning.
Debbie Buckson, executive director of the Historic Odessa Foundation, received a flood of calls from residents after the fire, sharing how stunned they were about the destroyed historic home.
"Everyone in town is heartsick. It was a wonderful building," she said. "It's a terrible tragedy."