FLOYD COUNTY —
One of the top fire equipment collections in the nation will be paraded through New Albany Sept. 18 — a symbol that a downtown museum to showcase the machinery is coming closer to fruition.
Friends of the New Albany Fire Museum Inc., announced in August it had secured a low-interest loan to purchase the collection of the late Fred Conway for $575,000. The set includes a colonial hand engine from 1756 and the first chemical fire engine in the U.S. along with numerous lanterns, buckets and extinguishers.
“I would say we’ve come a long way and it wouldn’t have been possible without the enthusiastic support of a lot of people,” said Curtis Peters, chair of the Friends of the New Albany Fire Museum board.
Last year, the group announced an ambitious campaign to raise $1.7 million to purchase the equipment and secure a location to serve as a museum. The majority of the $575,000 was covered by an eight-year loan through MainSource Bank, which will be paid back through contributions to the soon-to-be nonprofit organization.
While the board is waiting for approval of its charitable status, tax deductible donations for the cause are being ushered through the Floyd County Historical Society.
Negotiations are ongoing between the board and the Coyle family over the purchase of the two-story brick building on the Coyle property at East Fifth and Spring streets. It’s not the old Coyle Dodge showroom, which Peters said would probably be too small to contain all the equipment.
Even though a deal has not been struck between the sides, the Coyle family is allowing the organization to store the fire equipment at the site. Peters said the Conway and Coyle families “have been good to deal with” for the effort.
On Sept. 18, the engines and other machinery will be moved to the Coyle building in parade fashion with a tentative start time of 11 a.m. The route will be as follows: From Mount Tabor Road to Green Valley Road; from Green Valley south to State Street; from State Street south to Elm Street; from Elm east to Fifth Street; and then concluding at 411 E. Spring St. Peters encouraged people to find a spot anywhere along the route to see the antique engines as they pass by.
“We will be putting it [at the Coyle site] for storage, and then we hope to be able to allow visitors to see what’s there during Harvest Homecoming,” he said.
The plan remains for the fire museum to open next summer.
“We obviously need the backing of the entire community,” Peters said.
Excitement over the museum hasn’t been limited to Floyd County, he added. Groups such as the Derby City Truck Club in Louisville as well as an antique collector from Uniontown have expressed interest in having their fire equipment displayed at the museum, Peters said. Two members of the Derby City Truck Club are now on the local organization’s board.
But the emphasis must remain on fundraising in order for the museum to open in 2011, Peters added.
Like last year, Friends of the New Albany Fire Museum is hosting a chili cook-off and pledge night. This year’s edition will be from 6 to 10 p.m. Nov. 11 at The Grand. Tickets are $20, and along with chili prepared by local fire halls, there will be entertainment, including live music.
“We need supporters — generous supporters. Big and small, any amount will help,” Peters said.
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