April 10, 1930 - Shortly after 8:00 Sunday morning, April 6, fire was discovered raging quite furiously in the frame row which occupied the north side of Main Street just east of the opera house. It was seen at once that a disastrous fire would result unless help was secured, and a call was made to Mt. Ayr for assistance.

Mayor Geo. WRIGHT, Fire Chief Ben THOMPSON and his fire laddies with their new truck and engine responded loyally and the run of twelve miles to Tingley was made in sixteen minutes. Their coming saved Tingley's business section, as fire fighters here were at their extremity. The flames were so hot that no one could get near enough to throw water, and our only fire fighting equipment was a few ladders and a bucket brigade.

The people of Tingley were there - men, women, and children - working heroically to subdue the fire, pumping water, carrying buckets, getting on buildings, and stopping the fire as best they could.

Burning embers werre carried by the wind to buildings across the street and even farther away than the lumberyard.

The incipient blazes were quickly put out. As it was, some of the glass fronts of the buildings on the south side were cracked by the heat. Individual acts of heroism, typcially American, were so numerous that we cannot mention all. Mt. Ayr firemen donned gas masks and went into the burning buildings with their hose line.

The buildings destroyed were H. W. EDWARDS furniture store, Mrs. S. BOSWORTH'S post office building, Mrs. Daisy CARLTON'S restaurant, three buildings owned by the ASBURY Estate and occupied by Armour Produce Co., A. J. JOHNSTON'S Barber Shop, and WHEELER Bros. Restaurant.

H. W. EDWARD'S brick building, occupied by W. H. BEEN'S Barber Shop, was greatly damanged.

The Opera House building, owned by M. MARINER, was damanged and all in flame when the Mt. Ayr lads arrived.

Estimated damages totaled $25,200.

June 5, 1930 - Another disastrous fire was discovered abouat 1:30 a.m. Friday, May 30 in the W. H. McGREGOR Harness and Shoe Shop (east of 1983's tennis court). Origin of the fire is unknown.

The CHRISTOPHER building west of McGREGORS and occupied by Armours Produce Station was destroyed. J. B. JONES, manager of Armours, also lost his business in the April 6th fire.

Other buildings destroyed were the town hall, jail, and fire bell. The post office contents were hurriedly moved out.

July 3, 1930 - The third disastrous fire since April 6 visited Tingley July 2 at 1:00 a.m. The Tingley Garage (building east of the Christian Church 1983) was discovered in flames by Ira FERGUSON who gave the alarm. Origin of the fire is unknown. With no fire fighting equipment except a bucket brigade, the flames soon spread to the Christian Church built in 1895. The piano, pulpit furniture, chairs, books, and some broken seats were saved.

The Mt. Ayr fire department responded to the call. Several nearby homes were evacuated, but no other fires started. Total damage to the church and businesses was $28,000.

  SOURCE: Tingley, Iowa Centennial: 1883 - 1983. Pp. 39-40. PSI, Inc. Belmond IA. 1983.
Courtesy of Mount Ayr Public Library, September of 2011

Transcription by Sharon R. Becker, September of 2011