Officials say a late-night fire destroyed a historic home in Coram.

Police say the massive fire started around 11:30 p.m. at a house on Middle Country Road. The Coram Fire Department and four other departments were on scene to knock down the flames.

The Norton House was a historic piece of property in the town, according to the Coram Civic Association.

American Revolutionary War Capt. Nathanial Norton once lived in the house with his wife, Emma.

According to local historians, Emma was a postmaster in the late 1800s.

“Because the post offices were always in private homes, it was the Coram Post Office for more than 30 years,” says Suzzanne Johnson of the Davis Town Meeting House Society.

The structure was considered a total loss. Crews were out until 4:30 a.m. Monday to get the fire under control and take the remainder of the building down.

Kevin Reichold and his family used to lived in the house and woke up to the news.

“It’s just a shame,” Reichold says. “A crying shame.”

Officials say the house had been in disrepair for many years and historians say it’s a piece that will now be missing from the town.

“Every time you lose one of these historic structures you lose a little bit more of the historic fabric of the community,” Johnson says.

No one was hurt. The cause of the fire is under investigation.