by Rachel Petty
GORDONSVILLE, Tenn.—For the last several months, residents of Gordonsville have watched the construction of a new structure in the middle of town, and the City of Gordonsville is now preparing for the opening of its new, state-of-the-art Fire Hall.
Smith County Insider is celebrating the opening of the new Fire Hall by taking a look back at how the Gordonsville Volunteer Fire Department began.
The decision to begin a Volunteer Fire Department in Gordonsville was preceded by the city’s installation of a water system. The Smith Utility District began providing water to the city in 1964, and the Gordonsville Fire Department was created two years later in 1966.
According to The History of Smith County Tennessee, the City of Gordonsville purchased its first fire engine in 1966.
This was also the year that the Interstate came through this area and the city municipal building was constructed. This municipal building served as home to all city offices, as well as the city’s newly purchased fire equipment.
When the municipal building changed locations, the fire equipment remained where it was, and the Fire Department has operated from its current location on the eastern end of the city ever since.
The opening of the new city Fire Hall will mark the first change of location for the Gordonsville City Fire Department.
At the time of its creation, the Gordonsville Fire Department was manned by several committed volunteers, one of whom was Mr. Hollis Blair, who served as Mayor of Gordonsville at the time.
Smith County Insider spoke with Mr. Hollis about the Gordonsville Fire Department’s history and his experience as one of its charter members.
One of the first stories that Hollis recalled was about the purchase of the city’s first fire engine.
The Carthage Fire Department had recently purchased an American LaFrance fire engine, and the South Carthage Fire Department was considering purchasing one. The Gordonsville Fire Department decided to purchase an American LaFrance engine, too, so that all the fire departments in Smith County would have the same brand of equipment.
“American LaFrance was the Cadillac of Fire Departments,” Mr. Hollis said.
He recalled that the city paid $17,000 for an American LaFrance engine with a 500 gallon water tank in 1966. The engine was scheduled to be delivered in 1967, but the United States Army requested the next 30 fire engines that American LaFrance produced. As a result, the City of Gordonsville did not receive their new engine until September of 1968.
Mr. Hollis Blair also shared information about designing the city’s water tank and the illuminated cross that sits atop it. This structure contained the fire department’s siren, which was a requirement for the fire department to be able to communicate with its firefighters.
“Back then, everybody worked outside,” Hollis said. “Nobody was around to hear the phone ring.”
Hollis explained that telephones and whistle controls for the siren were placed in several locations around the area, such as Bass Funeral Home, City Hall, and a local service station.
The siren operated under a directional communication system. Volunteer firemen knew how to respond to the call depending on how many times they heard the whistle blow. One blow of the siren meant that the fire was east of the Fire Hall, two blows meant that the fire was west of the Fire Hall, and three blows of the whistle signaled a drill.
The fire department whistle continued to blow at noon each day until it stopped working earlier this spring.
Hollis also told Smith County Insider that the charter members of the Fire Department travelled to Murfreesboro to attended fire school, where they learned the tricks of the trade from experienced firemen.
“They taught them how to climb, how to use the hoses,” he said. Hollis said that he specifically studied the working of the fire engine while attending fire school.
The Gordonsville Fire Department began with a city water system, just over half a dozen charter members, and a fire engine, and it has remained in consistent, reliable operation for over fifty years.
The next chapter in the Gordonsville Fire Department’s history begins with the opening of the new Fire Hall.
The Gordonsville Fire Hall will be open for the public to tour at an Open House from 2:00 p.m. until 4:00 p.m. on the afternoon of Sunday, October 21, 2018.
All Smith County citizens are invited to attend and take part in this milestone occasion.
[wdca_ad id=”11484″ ]
[wdca_ad id=”11404″ ]
