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HISTORY OF JEFFERSONTOWN DEPARTMENT
By the early 1900's, Jeffersontown was a thriving country village with a variety of businesses and sprawling developments. In the community spirit, a group of concerned citizens banded together to provide fire protection for their friends and neighbors, giving birth to the Jeffersontown Fire Department in 1919. It has been argued that the history of the department goes back further than 1919, however this claim is difficult at best to prove. As you progress through the pages, you will take a brief historical journey through our department's history. Please enjoy, and if you happen to have any information that would shed some light on our history, please feel free to contact us. Enjoy!
In 1921 a chemical engine mounted on a Ford truck chassis was the the town's only piece of fire firefighting equipment. However, it represented a tremendous advance over the fire extinguisher carried earlier by Fire Chief Frank Fanelli.
FIRE TAKES HEAVY TOLL IN TOWN'S BUSINESS SECTION
The largest and most destructive fire that the citizens of Jeffersontown were ever called upon to fight, swept through a large area of the business section Monday night. All business houses on the north corner of the public square were razed by the flames, which were first discovered about 11:30 by J. L. Wigginton... As Mr. Wigginton ran from his room in the Haven Hotel, he noticed a blaze across the street in the rear of Young Bros. property. Running back to Mr. Young's private garage, he discovered that a shed in front of the garage was in flames...
All the buildings being frame structures, the flames spread swiftly from building to building until, within only a few minutes, the entire corner was ablaze.
The telephone exchange being located on the second floor above Young Bros. store, the service was soon put out of commission. The town fire truck, being close at hand, was gotten on the scene promptly and Chief Brooks and his men began fighting with the chemical apparatus, against the big odds. Deckman made record time on his motorcycle to Louisville to request the aid of the city fire department. In the meantime, men, women, and children answered the alarm from far and near, all aiding in the valiant fight to get the fire under control and salvage as much as could be taken from the burning buildings.
When flames reached Wigginton's grocery its progress was not so swift, as the building was a log structure covered with siding which caused it to burn slower than the other buildings. Next came the office of Myers and Blankenbaker Undertakers. It was decided to wreck this building to prevent the flames from spreading to buildings up the street. Before the wrecking was nearly completed, however, Louisville's No. 11 motorized engine was on the scene and had a big stream of water playing on the Wigginton building and then on the undertaker's office. Thus the flames were soon under control.
The list of those who suffered loss by the fire follows:
Young Bros. - Grocery, meat shop, soda fountain, ice cream plant, living apartments...
Jeffersontown Battery Service
D. J. Gill - Harness and shoe repair shop
Cumberland Telephone Co. - J. W. Robinson, proprietor
Central Garage - Truck and passenger car...
Wigginton and Giakalone, pool room and barber shop
J. L. Wigginton, grocery...
Myers and Blankenbaker Undertakers
The Jeffersonian; November 17, 1921
This interesting stucco and frame structure, completed in late 1926 on the southeast corner of the town square, housed the city government on the second floor and the fire department on the first. Members of the fire department placed the towns fire siren on the roof, along with World War I machine guns and field pieces.
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