The hand pumped tanker, purchased in 1890, sat in the garage while Miller took the villagers for a guided tour through the history of the department in the final installment of the Cridersville Historical Society’s 2017 lecture series.

“Since its founding in 1856, the people of Cridersville, like those in every town, had to depend on each other for fire protection,” the chief said. “When the shout, ‘Fire! Fire!” was heard in town, every able bodied man dropped his work, grabbed his pail and ran with the bucket brigade.”

But that changed for good in January of 1890, when the village bought the hand-pumper for $249.75. Freight was $11.75. It was shipped into town on the railroad.

Afterwards, tours were given of the new facility, located at 1450 State Highway 95 between Elgin and Bastrop, across the highway from Camp Swift. 

“From the 2011 Bastrop Complex Fire, very few good things came, but this is one of them,” said Bastrop County Judge Paul Pape. 

Funding for the station came after a wildfire burned 34,000 acres in 2011 from the state and federal governments. There will be five paid firefighters at this station now, with five trucks. 

Chief Daryl Blair explained that the new truck has 30 percent more compartment space, full air bags and a shorter wheel base that better allows for tighter turns on narrow city streets.

The original price for the truck was over a half million dollars, according to Cookeville City Manager Mike Davidson.

The city had budgeted $450,000 for a new truck, but Davidson said that he believed Chief Blair could make up the $19,650 elsewhere in the fire department budget.

Chief Daryl Blair explained that the new truck has 30 percent more compartment space, full air bags and a shorter wheel base that better allows for tighter turns on narrow city streets.The original price for the truck was over a half million dollars, according to Cookeville City Manager Mike Davidson.

The city had budgeted $450,000 for a new truck, but Davidson said that he believed Chief Blair could make up the $19,650 elsewhere in the fire department budget.