Panama City - A fire Friday morning Burns a Mexico Beach Landmark. Around 1 am Friday morning crews got a call on the fire at the place Mexico Beach Residents know as The Parker House.

The vacant building was severely damaged with fire crews from Port St. Joe, Mexico Beach, and Bay County still fighting a few flames a couple hours after the fire started. The cause is undetermined at this time, but some speculate it started in the west end of the house in the den because that's where there was the most damage, including a collapsed roof. The Fire Marshal's Office is investigating.

The Parker House is named for the man who used to live there; Mexico Beach Founder Charlie Parker. A crowd gathered Friday morning and watched as firemen tried to save the Parker House. Parker's oldest daughter watched on, visibly emotional. With her was her cousin and Mexico Beach Mayor Al Cathey.

"This is a tragedy for not only the community of Mexico Beach, but personally for me and my family. Its hard to watch this," Cathey said.

He and his cousin watched as memories ran through their heads of the house. With the passing of Parker's wife, the family eventually decided to sell the house. The family has spent time recently inside clearing it out for it's new owner; a project family members said was fun and emotional looking back on their times living in the house.

"Mexico Beach in the 50's and 60's there weren't a lot of people so family was important to us," Cathey said.

Parker founded the city in 1949 and the house went in about a decade later. Residents remember it's historic past.

"I've been here 36 years and the Parker family was a very great family," Chief Brad Hall with the Department of Public Safety said.

Parker was a preacher at the city's first church, and his wife was a Sunday school teacher.

"To see this happen is very devastating. For people who've been here long enough to know whats happened in this house," Hall said.

The city just closed on a deal for the house last Friday with plans to preserve it and renovate it for a new city hall. It was hoping to move into the building in about a month.