Historic Cambridge City building donated for preservation
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As a subscriber you can listen to articles at work, in the car, or while you work out. Subscribe NowA 175-year-old building in Cambridge City is being marked for preservation. Richmond-based Reid Health has donated the two-story brick building that was originally used as a warehouse in the 1840s to local historical organization Western Wayne Heritage.
The building, which is part of the town’s historic district, last housed the practice of Dr. James Bertsch, who also serves as president of Western Wayne Heritage.
Bertsch moved his practice to Reid Health Primary & Specialty Care in Cambridge City, which opened in 2020. He sold the property to Reid Health in 2013.
Reid Health says the building was originally used to store goods coming along the Whitewater Canal and was later used as a foundry for making farm equipment, a Chevrolet dealership, and a wood shop, among other uses.
“It was used as a warehouse starting in about 1847,” Bertsch said in a news release. “What we see there now is exactly what it was, three or four bricks thick and two stories tall. This donation is greatly appreciated. So many older buildings have been demolished and now 1 E. Church St. is safe for the foreseeable future. This is an overwhelming gift to our group and the Western Wayne area.”
The building had been in Bertsch’s family for decades.
“The celebration of significant historic structures is important to the community and highlights the critical role this building played in supporting this region,” said Reid Health CEO Craig Kinyon. “We are very pleased to return this piece of history and heritage to the community so it can be preserved, enjoyed, and continue to serve the town in new ways.”
The health system says Western Wayne Heritage is currently evaluating what the future plans will be for the property.