A historic Alabama church built around 1850 was destroyed in a fire early Monday morning, authorities said.

The Blue Springs Methodist Church in Coosa County “was burned to the ground this morning with nothing but ash left of over a century of memories,” the Lay Lake Fire Department said on its Facebook page.

“Sad to see it go,” the department said.

The department, along with its counterparts in Fayeteville and Stewartville responded to assist the Marble Valley Volunteer Fire Department around 3 a.m. Monday on a fully involved fire at the church on Coosa County Road 99.

The fire remained under investigation Monday, and the state Fire Marshal’s office asked people to stay away from the scene.

A picture of the destroyed white church shared by the Lay Lake Fire Department showed flames sprouting from the rubble.