Chief Wants to Save Fire Department History

Ever heard of the days when the Clayton Fire Department used to haul its equipment in hand-drawn buggies, pushing and pulling them across town to put out fires?

It was a heady time to be a fireman.

But, nobody remembers it anymore. The early days of local firefighting were so long ago, it's a part of Clayton's history that has faded away—until now.

"I've never been much of a history buff, but I've been fascinated by this," said Fire Chief Lee Barbee. "The more into our history I get, the more interesting it is and the more I understand that unless we do something, people will forget."

In recent months, Barbee has been collecting old photographs, newspaper articles and any other historical information he can find. He's even begun compiling a list of all the people who have volunteered their time and effort to help fight fires in Clayton down through the years.

"I'm up to 230 names," he said. "My goal is to get all the information I can and put together a history. I think it's worthwhile."

Barbee said folks at the Fire Department want to organize some type of fundraiser to finance the project. They've been knocking around some ideas, like starting a special "History Fund" where residents could make contributions, but nothing yet has been pinned down.

One of the first things the Department want's to do is preserve old Fire Engine No. 1, a 1947 fire truck that was featured in last year's Christmas parade. Though it hasn't been in use for awhile, it's a part of the Department's recent history, Barbee said.

"That truck has never left Clayton, all these years," the Chief said. "It still runs, though it needs some attention. A little work and this will be a good truck again."

Another thing they want to do is preserve the Hose Tower at the old fire station downtown.

"To me, that's a piece of history," the Chief said. "We used to have to hang the old cotton fire hoses there to dry after a fire. What a job that was. You could go by there after a fire and see them hanging up. Of course, today's hoses are made of materials that are easy to wash and dry. Firemen today just don't know what we had to go through back then."

Barbee said he isn't sure whether his history project will eventually turn into a book, an exhibit at the library—or maybe something grander, like a local museum, but "we've got to do something."