The city of Auburndale hosted an unveiling ceremony Tuesday to dedicate historic markers for the Historic Depot and the 1925 American Lafrance Fire Engine. The event began in the downtown park and concluded at the Fire Department. City Officials and members of the city’s Historic Preservation Commission were in attendance of the event. The purpose of the event was to mark the significance the depot and fire engine played in Auburndale’s history, said Amy Palmer, the city’s community development director. The Seaboard Air Line train depot, which is a masonry vernacular building in the Mediterranean style, was built in 1927 and was originally located near the intersection of Pilaklakaha Avenue and Pearl Street on the Seaboard’s rail line. CSX closed the station in 1993 where it sat in disrepair and faced demolition until 2000 when the City of Auburndale purchased it with the intention of making it a municipal building. The City obtained grant funding from the Florida Department of State to relocate the building to its current location where the former Atlantic Coast Line train depot sat. The rehabilitated and restored building has served as a municipal building since 2002 and remains an important part of Auburndale’s history. In the 1930’s volunteer firefighter Nephi Darby gave the truck its nickname “Grandma” as he worked hard to keep it running and clean. The truck was restored in 1979 and was put on display in the Public Library on West Park Street. The truck was restored a second time after an arson fire in the Library in 1982. In 1992, the truck was relocated alongside the Fire Station on Orange Street. In 2001 the Fire Department moved to this location and the historic engine was moved into this building named in honor of Chief James A. Hancock, Jr. Chief Hancock worked for the City of Auburndale from 1951-1991 and served as Chief from February 20, 1956 until his retirement.
Posted on: Wed, 17 Dec 2014 19:13:21 +0000
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