No one was in the house when the fire broke out, and there were no reported injuries.
The farmhouse is owned by Peter and Tana Lilienthal, who along with their three daughters were living in a rented house while the farmhouse was being renovated.
Peter Lilienthal said that his parents bought the house in 1954.
``This is my home. This is where I grew up,'' he said. ``This is really valuable to us.''
Amelia Darrow, owner of the nearby Olallie Daylily Garden, said that one of her employees reported hearing an explosion shortly before 9 a.m.
Several neighbors called in the fire, and the Lilienthals were also contacted. Arriving at the scene before firefighters, the couple found the house in flames.
``We tried to empty the barn. We didn't dare do anything else,'' said Tana Lilienthal.
Steve Jones, chief of the South Newfane-Williamsville Department, said the blaze started in the basement. By the time firefighters reached the scene, however, the fire had spread.
``When we first arrived the first floor and part of the second floor were fully involved,'' he said.
Jones said the cause of the fire wouldn't be definitely known until Vermont State Police had completed an investigation.
Firefighters from nine departments, including Brattleboro, West Dummerston, West Dover and Chesterfield, N.H., responded to the blaze.
In addition to personal belongings, Peter Lilienthal said the house contained years of family documents.
``This is a real, real, tragedy for this to happen to us,'' he said. ``I'm not going to realize the enormity of this for many, many months.''
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