By Mike AvittCheryl Roach donated this fantasic photo for this week's article. The group was unidentified but Bill Stull solved that
problem for us. Top row from left to right: Tom Golliday, Howard Paist, Bill Horne, Doyle Adams and Burl Stull. Bottom row, left to right: Jim Thompson,
Arnie Comb, Mr. Morehouse, Burl Reynolds, Charlie Trimble, O. C. Campbell, Albert Roach, Joe Sobotka, and between the rows on the far right is Don Stull.
Much thanks to Cheryl Roach and Bill Stull. this is Snapshots of History article 177.
I was reading what Jack Terry wrote in "A Centennial History of
Mount Ayr, Iowa 1875 - 1975" about the fire department in its early days and I combined that with my notes from the Twice-A-Week News and other
newspapers. So I'll cover the early days as I understand them.
The first fire department was organized in 19879 but with no equipment or communication
(fire alarm) the department existed in name only. Disastrous business fires kept brining the fire department into discussion but lack of technology and
money prevented anything from getting done. The south side of the Mount Ayr square was destroyed by fire in 1885, the northeast corner of the square
was destroyed twice, first in 1889 and then again in 1890.
But it was a fire on April 23, 1897 that really gave some momentum to the fire department.
This fire burned several businesses on the east side of the square. I knew of this fire but wasn't sure which lots were effected until recently. The lot
where Lucky Lanes is today was occupied by a two-story, brick building erected
by William Timby. That building housed B. C. Warren's East Side Pharmacy along with Vardaman's jewelry and watch repairing shop in the south half
downstairs and Kirby and Burke Clothiers in the north half downstairs. Upstairs was Dr. J. H. White's office, C. L. V. Thompson's tailor shop, and
an apartment. The next building to the north was W. A. DeLashmutt's grocery and it received smoke and water damage.
By this time the fire department
had hooks and ladders, hoses and pumps, and some organization. But this fire prompted the construction of a 40-foot tower on the northeast corner of the
square with a fire bell attached. Another thing I learned while researching this fire was the burned out building (Lucky Lanes) was rebuilt using the
same foundation and a small part of the north and east wall. William Timby constructed a one-story building [at] this time and a large addition was built
on the rear of the building about 1902.
The earliest location I have for the fire department is 113 South Fillmore, the current location of Tyler
Insurance. This is not the same building, however, as E. M. Rosenbaum built the current building in 1928 after his old building was fire damaged in 1927.
That fire took out the middle of the west side of the square.
In the summer of 1897 the fire department moved to the location two doors east of Lefty's
Club Tavern. Again, not the same building that exists there today. I suspect the fire department moved again around 1920.
For several decades, the fire
department was located the first door south of Mount Ayr City
Hall. I believe the fire department moved here about 1920 because town hall was built in 1918 and most of the brick garage to the south was built in 1917 by
Charles Teale. The original Teale garage was built in 1911 and I believe this smaller garage became the fire station after Mr. Teale built his new, 54' x 132',
fireproof garage.
The dedication of the Mount Ayr Volunteer Fire Department's current station occurred on August 11, 1968. The location is 201 East
Madison and the original station has been added onto because the department keeps growing as more services are available like the water rescue department.
One more thing, I believe this week's photo may have been taken in 1952 when the department received a new, 1952 Dodge Fire truck.
Photograph courtesy of Mount Ayr Record-News
Transcription by Sharon R. Becker, September of 2015
Mount Ayr Record-News
Mount Ayr, Ringgold County, Iowa
Thursday, November 15, 2007, Page 10
