Fire investigators say they believe vandalism led to a blaze early Sunday morning in Casco that destroyed a one-room school house built in 1849 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
"During the investigation of the building and the collection of information we determined that the fire was intentionally set inside the building using materials that were already inside," says Sgt. Ken Grimes, of the state Fire Marshal's Office.
Officials with the Fire Marshal's Office say Devin Richardson-Gurney, 22, and Edward Scott, 20, of Casco, admitted to setting the Friends School House on fire on Sunday.
Grimes says they have each been charged with arson and were scheduled to make their initial court appearances Monday.
The Portland Press Herald says that the structure contained dozens of irreplaceable historic artifacts, including maps, schoolbooks and an announcement declaring the election of George Washington as the first U.S. president.
The Associated Press contributed to this story.