Tour the Fire Chief's Office

The Chief's desk was purchased in the 1960's by my father who operated a service station located where the fire station now stands. In 1972, this desk was moved to another location where it was used until our family business was sold in 1991. It was then placed in storage until 1998 when it was painted fire truck red and placed into service as the Fire Chief's desk. There's not another office in the world than can have a desk that my daddy bought and used in his business for thirty something years.
I certainly appreciate you taking the time to tour my office. I've been working on it for the past four years and I'm still far from being finished with it. To be quit honest, I don't know if I will ever complete it! There are lots of ways one can decorate their office. However, it has always been my opinion that a properly decorated office is not necessarily distinguished by the amount of money that was spent on it, but how well it reflects the character of the occupant. Armed with that opinion, deciding the decor has been a large factor in the amount of time it has taken to get to this point. Even greater is the office that is decorated with items that can not be found in someone else's office. Certainly, the things in my office may never be considered museum quality artifacts. However, I think you will find that most everything has significant value, either to myself, or to this great town we call Troy. Most of the pictures you will see are of items that you will not find anywhere else in the world because the only one in existence is in my office. I hope you enjoy your tour.

This beautiful red-oak credenza was constructed using a 186 pound, one-half inch thick cast-iron plate. The plate was a threshold that was installed on the J.S. Moffat building in 1890. This building, which was located on the corner of Main and Harper streets, burned in 1998. Prior to the fire, the plate had been removed from the door-way and stored inside the building. The bow in the middle is a result of the tremendous heat that it endured during the fire. The plate was originally cast with one-quarter inch high letters which read, "J.S. Moffat, 1890." However, 100 years of wear and tear has reduced the letters to a height one can barely hang a finger-nail on today. The building first housed Mr. Moffat's store. During the 1930's it was used as a school after Troy High School burned. Later, it was home of the Salant factory. After the factory left Troy, it sit idle for many years until it came to life once more as Joyner's Furniture Store. Then came another idle period until it was remodeled into an auto parts store in the 1970's. It remained a parts store until it was destroyed by fire. There is not another plate such as this in the entire world. Just imagine all the people that have walked over it during the past 100 years. Customers of the different business establishments this building housed, school kids, employees that worked hard while it was a factory providing a living for their families. Most of the people who helped wear the writing off this cast-iron plate are now dead. Even if another plate were cast, it could not be walked on by so many great people.
This is my daddy's helmet. It was manufactured by the E.D. Bullard Company. My daddy, purchased it in 1950 when he became Fire Chief. While it is battle-scared from past encounters with fighting fires for forty-five years, it's now retired and is proudly displayed on my desk mounted on a solid red-oak base. The plate on the front reads: "My Daddy's Helmet, Troy Fire Chief, 1950 - 1995. Certainly, there were more bullard helmets manufactured than just this one, but my daddy didn't wear them.
I needed a table and I found this Muller fire plug that was missing it's bonnet laying in our scrape pile. Since we have always numbered our plugs on the top, I don't have a clue as to where it came from. After it was sand-blasted and painted fire truck red, I had an octagon shaped top and base made for it. The eight (8) solid red-oak boards are fitted with the grain running to the center. You can't tell it from the picture, but the center is made from an octagon shaped plug that has "TROY TN" inscribed in it.
A good fire chief will always have a fire plug close by. This particular fire plug provided protection for the 900 block of Church street. Notice the the chip in the bonnet on the left side. A car hit it one day and ended its service. Now, it's proudly displayed in my office.
This beautiful solid red-oak bookcase was manufactured by inmates at the Northwest Correctional Complex located in Tiptonville, Tennessee. It is constructed with red-oak lumber that was donated by Storey Sawmill & Lumber Company located in Troy. Most of the items displayed are either gifts that friends have given me or items that I have purchased. However, the red fire plug was a gift that was given to the fire department in 1972 by Don Hudson and Jack Brunson of Amce Fire Equipment Company. They presented it to my daddy after they delivered Engine 2. It may look like a fire plug, but it was full of honey when the department received it--or, at least, that's what the tag attached to it said. It's never been opened and I'm quite sure the honey has since turned to sugar. If you look real close, the red and white rope is hanging on a "T". Talk about custom-made!
I'm assuming that all Fire Chiefs have a 6# Pick-Head Fire Axe hanging in their office. If they don't, they should! This axe was carried on Engine One from 1967 until 1976. Many of the brave firemen that swung this axe are no longer living. In memory of their dedicated service to our department, it will always be proudly displayed in my office.

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