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The city of Maryville has placed on permanent loan to the Blount County Historical Museum its antique 1926 American LaFrance fire truck, the truck known affectionately as “Ole Huldy.”

The chemical pumper fire truck was purchased for $15,000, which included chemicals, turn out gear, helmets and hoses. It was last used two years ago when Maryville Fire Chief Ed Mitchell drove it to the Area 15 Special Olympics at Heritage High School.

In 1997, the truck was refurbished and was taken for years to Special Olympics track and field competitions and driven in parades, including Hillbilly Homecoming and Christmas parades.

The truck is encased in glass and on display directly in front of the museum, which is located in the former health department building behind Thompson-Brown House off East Lamar Alexander Parkway and across from Blount Memorial Hospital.

“In this location the fire truck can be observed and appreciated daily by all Blount County citizens — not just at the annual Christmas parade and Special Olympics. It will also be protected and preserved for future generations,” said Ken Cornett, museum chairman. “This will be a good drawing card for us.”

Admission to the museum is free and operating hours are 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday and 2 to 4 p.m. Sunday.

“This special exhibit in front of the museum is a fitting tribute to Blount County’s first pumper fire truck,” he added.

Mitchell said, “This will ensure that a very big part of our heritage is in great keeping. I wouldn’t take a million dollars for it.”

Before the LaFrance, the city had a Ford Model T and an REO Flying Cloud fire truck that were stored in the basement of a garage in downtown Maryville. The owner of the building set it afire and the city fire trucks were destroyed. Also lost in the fire were nearly 100 cars, six buses and two touring cars.

The city was left without fire protection in the early 1920s until the American LaFrance was ordered, Mitchell added. The truck manufacturer loaned the city a small fire truck that had been used in Morristown until the new truck arrived.

“The first week after the truck was delivered, the city got its money worth. There was a big bus fire downtown and possibly without the truck the whole downtown business district could have burned,” said Mitchell.

The truck came with a tank on the back and chemicals used to suppress fires were added as the water was sprayed on the fires.

The standard type 75 triple combination pumping, chemical and hose car came with a 6 cylinder “T” head engine with extended valves. A 750-gallon-per-minute rotary pump operated on the truck, which was ordered in 1925 and delivered Feb. 4, 1927.
The 82-year-old truck has served Maryville, Friendsville and Townsend fire departments.

Historically fire protection was first provided by a totin bucket brigade.

According to an earlier article written by the late Adele McKenzie, “in the courthouse fire of 1906, a totin bucket brigade formed from Main Street to Pistol Creek and passed buckets of water up along the line as empty buckets went down another line. The courthouse was lost, but the totin brigade saved nearby buildings.”

There were also private fire companies, one owned by Hiram Gay, a barber, who had a large wagon pulled by horses.

The present Maryville Fire Department has three stations (Maryville Municipal, John Sevier and Foothills) and employs 41 personnel who work 24 hours on and 48 off. It is composed to six fire engines, one service truck, two inspector vehicles and vehicles for the chief and deputy chief.