A symbol of American ingenuity in Butler will soon be reduced to a pile of bricks and ash.

Small fires continue to burn under the rubble of the historic Bantam Jeep building where firefighters say they can't put out remaining hotspots due to how unstable the building is.

Multiple fire companies were called to the area early Sunday morning and spent hours working to put out the fire.

Firefighters now say the building will need to be demolished.

If the walls of the building could talk, they'd share how they helped win World War II. Today they stand charred and gutted.

"It's a sad day for Butler, it really is," Chris Monaco said.

The Friends of the Bantam Jeep Association that puts on the annual Bantam Jeep Festival said it extends its heartfelt gratitude to the first responders and firefighters who worked to contain the fire and keep the community safe.

"The Bantam building is more than bricks and mortar; it represents the determination, creativity, and teamwork that helped shape a lasting piece of American history," said Todd Wagner, President of Friends of the Bantam Jeep Association. "Though the loss is difficult for our community and Jeep enthusiasts everywhere, the legacy of Bantam will always live on through the people who continue to honor and celebrate it."

That includes people like Scott Kerr.

"I personally have had friends who have driven in from Chicago in their Jeep just to park here and get their photo with their Jeep and this plant back here and certainly now that will be a bygone era," Kerr said. 

The organization said it remains steadfast in its mission to preserve and share Butler's Jeep heritage through education, community engagement, and celebration.

"Our thoughts are with everyone affected by this event," the organization said. "We stand with the Butler community as we move forward together."

What makes the Bantam building in Butler historic? 

The former Bantam plant in Butler was where the first Jeeps were invented and produced in the 1940s. 

The United States Army needed a reconnaissance car that could haul soldiers and heavy artillery during World War II and they needed it fast.

Only the Bantam car company of Butler stepped up to the plate.

While much of the factory was torn down years ago, its vacant administration building was what caught fire early Sunday morning.