| Thursday, December 18, 2008 | Opelika, Alabama |
Vol. 1, No. 8 |
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Photo by Ann Cipperly |
| Edna Ward's new book on the history of the Opelika Fire Department is available at the headquarters station on Avenue B in Opelika. Pictured, from left, Assistant Chief James Morgan Jr., who took photographs for the book; retired Chief Albert Smith, Edna Ward, author of the book; and Chief Terry Adkins. |
Local author pens history of Opelika Fire Department
By Ann Cipperly
Opelika Observer
From the days of firemen pulling fire engines themselves to a shiny new fire engine equipped with the latest gear, the history of the Opelika Fire Department unfolds into intriguing stories of heroes, tragedy, election fraud and life intertwined with the development of the town. Retired fire Chief Albert Smith's dream of the fire department's history recorded into a book has become a reality with the publication of The History of the Fire Department in Opelika, Alabama.
The book began in September 2006 when Gene and Edna Ward were visiting long-time friends, Albert and Mary Rose Smith. Chief Smith shared with Edna there was something he really wanted. When questioned, Smith revealed his dream for the book. With little thought, Ward replied,” I have a computer, a word processor and a printer. I can type.”
From there the unlikely pair began the journey of writing the book. Ward admitted she knew nothing about fire trucks or firefighting, but her expertise was in research gained from college assignments and later working with the Genealogy Society.
In less than a week, Smith delivered two boxes of photos, newspaper clippings, magazine articles and three books from his personal collection to Ward's home. Smith made arrangements for Ward to visit Opelika's headquarters station to meet Chief Terry Adkins and look at fire logs going back to 1929. However, Ward's research would lead her back to when the city of Opelika was incorporated in 1854. The history and stories she would uncover would astonish everyone involved in the project.
Smith contacted Walter Clement and Tom Scott, retired educators with a life-long interest in firefighting, as advisors for the book. Both currently live in Tennessee. They traveled to Opelika to brainstorm ideas for the book. Any doubts Ward had on writing about a subject she knew nothing about were quickly dismissed. “If you don't know, the readers might not know,” assured Scott. “You will ask questions and get answers.”
Ward discovered not much was known about the earliest firefighting efforts except there were volunteers in bucket brigades. “There were folklore tales of early equipment,” Ward recalls, “but details were sketchy.” Identifying Opelika's fire fighting equipment and learning names of early chiefs and firefighters were the starting points.
The history goes back to the early 1870s when Opelika had a soda/acid engine, which the firemen pulled. “Once the acid was mixed with the water/soda,” says Ward, “the reaction forced the water onto the fires. The business owners had their own protection of barrels and leather buckets. A line was formed with one or two dipping the water and passing the buckets down the line.”
In the early years, brick cisterns were constructed in downtown Opelika to hold water for fighting fires. “These cisterns had an opening that was closed with a plug which was removed for access to the water,” says Ward. “Once the plug was removed, the firemen dropped a hose into the water, and the engine drafted (sucked) water out to put on fires.” After water lines were laid, fire hydrants were used instead.
Ward found the locations of 46 wells on Sanborn Maps. “There are still plugs at these locations, and the plugs are stamped indicating Opelika Water” says Ward. “After more than 120 years, there may be water mains there now.”
The first horse drawn engine, a LaFrance Engine, arrived in Opelika on the morning of Oct. 26, 1906. The city purchased horses to pull the engine. “In the black and white photo, we miss the beautiful colors of the wheels,” says Ward. “They were painted with a design that when the wheels turned, it appeared to be a wheel within a wheel. Although on the name plate on the side it reads, ‘OFD No. 1' this was at least Opelika's fourth or fifth engine. It was in service until 1917 when the second LaFrance was received. The 1917 LaFrance was a gasoline engine.”
As research continued Ward learned at one point in Opelika's history elected officials were not always helpful to firefighters even while the town experienced many destructive fires. It became a nagging question as to why they were not helpful. This motivated Ward to research further. She found they were much too involved with other serious matters. “That's how the chapter of Opelika's government and elected offices got into the book,” she explains.
While there is plenty of serious material in the book, there are some amusing stories as well. Chief Smith began working at the fire department in December 1944 at age 17.
Smith tells a story that happened in the late 1940s when the first fire station was located on Avenue A where J. Smith Lanier is located today. Smith didn't hear the bell but woke up when the truck started. Firemen lived upstairs and would slide down a pole to the first floor. Their pants were rolled down over the top of their boots where they could put both on at the same time.
Smith knew he had to be on that truck. “I missed my boots and slid down the pole and caught that truck, “ he recalls. “I had nothing on but my shorts.”
In those days, firemen stood on the tailboard of fire engines. David Canon Sr. followed the truck and witnessed the amusing sight of Smith wearing nothing but his shorts. The next day headlines in the newspaper read, “Fireman goes to fire without any clothes.”
Smith remembers the worst fire was at the Dallas Smith Armory in 1947 with two fatalities, three seriously inured and ten more inured with burns. Members of the National Guard were cleaning rifles with gasoline. Smith and other firefighters were on the roof when it blew up. The armory caught on fire twice.
The book contains stories of tragedy, as many children were lost when they caught on fire backing up to open fires and old heating appliances in an effort to stay warm. In one fire, eight children were lost and in a mutual aid call to Beulah, nine children died. Now with education in schools, children are more aware of safety.
Chief Adkins feels the book will not only mean a great deal to the firefighters but also to local citizens since there is just as much information about Opelika's early history. One thing that surprised him in the book was that at one time half the city was destroyed by fire.
When Adkins began working at the station in 1966, he had heard about the one fatality of a fireman lost going to a fire. He didn't know much about the accident, but while the book was being written, he met a relative of the fireman. A telephone repairman from Atlanta installing a new phone system at the station in July 2007 mentioned to Adkins his great-grandfather lost his life working as a fireman in Opelika.
One former chief, G.A. Mitchell, was involved in forming the 911 system. He was one of three chiefs at the national association meeting in New York, which is discussed in the book.
With 530 pages and over 70 pictures, Ward finished the book in September 2008. Everyone who worked on the project served as a volunteer.
Chief Adkins will recommend to the mayor and city administrator that proceeds from the sale of the book go toward improvements to their training center. “We need another classroom,” says Adkins.
Books will be available at the headquarters fire station at 1015 Ave. B seven days a week. Copies are $50 with cash or check payment. Credit cards are not accepted.
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| LaFrance horse-drawn fire engine; an early piece of OFD equipment. |
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Photo by W. Jason Hill |
Opelika Sportsplex on schedule for August opening
By Rebecca Scunziano
Opelika Observer
Excitement is growing as Opelika's new Sportsplex is beginning to take shape at its Andrews Road location.
Construction is running ahead of schedule as the projected August deadline approaches on the $32 million project. According to Sam Bailey, assistant director at the Parks and Recreation department, “the people of Opelika have been very generous.” Everything from public and private donations to cooperation from City Leaders is making sure this project is a success.
Alabama State Senator Ted Little recently presented Mayor Gary Fuller and the City of Opelika with a $35 ,000 check from a grant to go towards the Sportsplex and Aquatic Center. The grant is from the Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs.
Some of the features of the new facility include racquetball courts, weight room, aerobics area, cardiovascular area, meeting rooms, indoor walking track, game room and indoor pool. Outside will be a splash park, “which is unique and you're starting to see more of these around the state. They're just not prevalent right now,” Bailey said. A splash park is a playground with a foam-like ground and water spouts that shot water out of the ground and water cannons.
The most needed section of the project would have to be the Senior Adults Activity Wing. According to Bailey, Opelika has never had a senior activity center that has been opened five or six days a week. “Also we have an indoor pool, which we've never had before,” Bailey said. “It means swimming 12 months out of the year.”
The sportsplex will be membership-based facility. “It's going to be very inexpensive compared to a lot of places,” Bailey said. “We think it will be very affordable and we'll offer different payment options, not just a lump-sum membership.” City youth sports programs will still be able to utilize the facility for their specific sports without charge .
“I believe this Center will not only add a substantial life quality environment for Opelika citizens, but the park will be an incentive for present and prospective economic development recruits,” Senator Little said in a press release.Local tattoo shop holds holiday raffle
By Cliff McCollum
Opelika Observer
When considering the normal fares offered at raffles, things like theatre tickets or gift baskets come to mind. A $400 custom tattoo generally would not, but that's exactly why Thomas Randall, owner and operator of Against All Odds Tattoo, chose to do that.
“It's not something you hear every day,” Randall said. “I really wanted to raise some money for a family this Christmas, and I thought this was the best way to do it.”
Randall is working with Women's Hope Medical Clinic in Auburn to raise money to give Christmas to a local needy family.
“I thought about working with a big charity, but I wanted to see the affects of this,” Randall said. “Some of the big charities, you don't really know where your money is going. You don't get to truly see the results.”
All of the proceeds from the raffle will be donated to the family. Randall hopes to raise enough funds to do Christmas for two families.
“I don't know how much we're going to be able to raise, but I'd like to have enough to sponsor two families,” Randall said. “That would be really great.”
Randall was inspired by the Christmas season to do a raffle.
“Someone's got to do this for these families. The way things are going this year, everyone's broke and in a bad mood, and I just thought I could do something,” Randall said.
He hopes to make the tattoo raffle an annual Christmas event.
“It would be really cool to keep this going,” Randall said. “I'd like to get it started up earlier and really get the word out. It's a good thing to do, and it doesn't hurt anything.”
Randall opened Against All Odds on June 5 of this year.
“There was no real custom tattoo shop here in this area. We needed it,” Randall said.
Randall also wanted to move back to this area because he had family here.
“I was up in Memphis, but I just didn't want to raise kids there,” Randall said. “When it comes to family, this place is a lot better than Memphis.”
Randall has been tattooing for 9 years. He always found tattoos interesting because his grandfather had a prisoner-of-war tattoo from his service in World War II.
“I got my first tattoos from a small shop where I ended up doing my apprenticeship,” Randall. “It was actually a pretty bad apprenticeship, but I didn't know that then. I was just excited about learning to tattoo.”
Randall is passionate about his work, which is why he mainly tries to focus on doing custom tattooing.
“I always want to know what's coming next,” Randall said. “I'm constantly seeking new challenges. I try to make even the stupid ideas seem fun. I don't see why you shouldn't pursue something you are passionate about.”
The raffle will be held Dec. 20 at Rooster's in Auburn. Tickets can be purchased for $5 at the Against All Odds Tattoo Shop or at Rooster's the night of the event. The shop is located 1908 Opelika Road.
For more information, contact Against All Odds at 887-5566.