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MCKENZIE -Approximately 30 firefighters from Macedonia, McKenzie, and Trezevant fire departments responded to an early morning fire that destroyed a Cherrywood Community landmark Sunday. Cause of the blaze has not been determined.

Cherrywood Community Center, located approximately two miles from McKenzie at 8305 Cherrywood Road (State Route 436), was heavily involved in fire when firefighters arrived on the scene.

"We received the call from Carroll County Sheriff's Department at 1:31 a.m. and arrived in seven minutes," said McKenzie Fire Chief Brian Tucker. "We were advised that it was already fully involved."

Eighteen McKenzie firefighters assisted in fighting the blaze and returned to the station at 3:52 a.m.

Macedonia Fire Chief Anthony Moore said his unit responded with six firefighters and remained on the scene approximately two hours.

Mildred Newton and Opal Sasser, longtime residents of the Cherrywood community, said the center was used for FCE club meetings, community events, fund-raisers, church services, and weddings over the years. Many historical photos housed in the center were lost in the fire.

Steven Maxwell, president of Cherrywood Community Center, said there was no insurance on the facility and it will not likely be rebuilt.

"Really, there is not enough community interest," he said, noting that the number of persons attending regular monthly meetings had dwindled to 18 in recent months.

Some of the former presidents of the community center included Andy Kemp, William "Pee Wee" Newton, Warren Presson, and Mike Hampton, noted Sasser.

It once served as a public school, where many McKenzie residents gained early education. The institution was known as Turner Academy. County Commissioner Gaylon Sydnor was one of those students. He said Turner Academy was a one-room school for grades one through eight.

According to historical records, Turner Academy was originally built on the east side of Cherrywood Road, across from the community center which burned Sunday, on land donated by Mr. Richard Turner, father of John Turner. This building burned and was rebuilt on the west side of Cherrywood Road on what is now the Sasser farm. The building was in open sun and was moved across the road to the present site. When the school closed the people of the community bought the building from the county for a community center.

There were many teachers through the years at Turner Academy. Some of them include: Pellum Huffman, Henry Bell, father of the late "Doc" Bell, Everett Heath, Curby Heath, Miss Grace Garrett, Harvey Garrett, Miss Fanny Billingsby, Joe Watkins, Miss Inez Berryhill, Dwight Clark, Miss Agnes Thomas, Mrs. Eula O'Neal, Miss Forence Greenwood, Miss Pauline Pate, Miss Hazel Milam, Miss Ethel Morrison, Mrs. Azell Beadles Thomas, Miss Fannie Thomas, Miss Josephine Milam, Mrs. Ethel Sloan, Mrs. G.W. Bullock, Mrs. Earl Hicks, James Bell, Mrs. Bertha Thomas Walters and Miss Kate Thomas.

The Sunshine Home Demonstration Club was organized in 1930 with 32 members. The first president was Mrs. Bob Brashear; vice-president, Mrs. L.B. White; second vice-president, Mrs. Wade Bevil; secretary, Mrs. Ethel Sloan; assistant secretary, Mrs. Earnest McAdoo; and reporter, Mrs. Andy Kemp.

The Cherrywood Community Club was organized in 1951. The first president was Ewell Bouldin.

By Deborah Turner

MCKENZIE - Work to remove the asphalt surface of Walnut Avenue could begin as early as this week according to Street Superintendent Joe Curtis during the Thursday, March 10 meeting of the McKenzie City Council.

The council approved the use of county labor and equipment in order to reduce costs. County workers will remove much of the top surface of the road and haul it off with the city paying only for the trac-hoe operator and gasoline, according to department liaison Jerry Arthur.

The concrete foundation will remain, shortening construction time as compared with work accomplished on Forrest and Main streets last year. Use of city workers to complete repairs to the street, sidewalks and driveways will take more time but save money on the initial cost estimates of $41,699, said Winchester.

"If we do the work ourselves it will take a little bit longer and citizens will be inconvenienced," he said, pointing out that driveways would have to be reworked in accordance with the reduction in the street level after layers of asphalt are removed. The layers have accumulated to a height where curbs are practically nonexistent.

Said council member Wade Allen, "Any way to save money, I'm for it." He noted residents would be able to travel along roads connecting with Walnut in order to avoid the construction. Arthur noted there are 14 side streets off Walnut. Both agreed residents of the street would be pleased with the completed project.

Asphalt removal is expected to take a few weeks after which driveways and sidewalks will be repaired, according to Winchester, who hoped the project could be completed by July, but at least by fall.

"The surface won't be as bad as Main and Forrest because the concrete will be there but it will still be a rough surface, " he said Friday morning following the meeting. "It's rough now," he added, referring to the road's numerous patches.

Festival of Freedom Weekend Display Slated to Precede Holiday

Old funds of some $10-12,000 in an account labeled "Freedom Festival" will be used to fund McKenzie's 2005 fireworks display, expected to be held July 1 and 2 (Friday and Saturday) this year in order that citizens may also attend the larger exhibition at Paris Landing on the 4th. Mayor Walter Winchester said he had hoped to attract carnival rides to expand the festival but has so far been unable to locate a company that is available during the busy carnival season. He had anticipated having bands play Friday evening and rides and fireworks Saturday.

He noted that for each of the last two years the exhibition has cost $6,000. Money in the old account was thought to have been generated during the 1986 Homecoming celebration.

Vice-mayor Gene Hale said the display has become a tradition in McKenzie and that, while some think it is a waste of money, "one year we decided not to have it and caught all kinds of flak." He said the crowd gathering to watch the fireworks "gets bigger every year."

Winchester appointed to committee five bids for the purchase of a tractor for use by the Street Department. Department Superintendent Joe Curtis, Hale, and Arthur were named to review the bid specifications and bids submitted as follows: Watkins Equipment Co. of Paris: Kubota, $18,800; Vincent Implement Co. of Paris: John Deere, $20,307.85; 3-Way Tractor Sales of Humboldt: Mahendra, $17,995; McKeel Equipment Co. of Murray: Case, $18,800; Thompson Machinery of Camden: Challenger, $20,200. Two representatives of McKeel attended the meeting.

In other business the council:

* Heard Jill Holland report from the Flag Committee that she would have a solid report in the next meeting scheduled for March 24. She has been compiling prices from other companies in an effort to cut costs. She noted she had priced two companies this week, both of whose bids were comparable to the initial costs quoted from Flag and Banner of Little Rock, Arkansas, owing to the fact that, in each case, vendors require that a minimum number of flags be purchased;

* Heard Fire Department liaison Darra Adkins report the Fire Department had responded to 52 calls this year, expending 32 hours and 34 minutes. They had attended 16 hours of training since January, including a recent workshop on school bus rescue attended by seven firefighters. Chief Brian Tucker was scheduled to teach four evening classes on extrication the week of March 13 in Bruceton.

By Joel Washburn washburn@mckenziebanner.com