Gillespie's Furniture Store

Photo of Gillespie's Furniture Store, taken by Mrs. Coleman Parker (Lelia Payne Turner) on July 12, 1927, the day of the Great Fire of West Blocton.


This recent photo shows the approximate location of Gillespie's Furniture Store in West Blocton. The original store was made of a type of corrugated metal, and had a metal, iron-clad roof.

While the fire was raging through the town, Jerry was at the Manring Hotel, helping Mrs. Manring move as much as possible out of the hotel.

There was an alley to the east of Gillespie's Furniture Store, and across the alley was the Manring Hotel. Jerry moved to the back of the hotel, outside of his room on the second floor where there was a porch/balcony to stand on.

From this vantage point, Jerry had a view of the fire engulfing the furniture store. Jerry took a garden hose, brought it to the porch, turned it on, and hosed as much water as he could through a window of Gillespie's Furniture Store.

Of course, a garden hose was no match for the fire, but it was a valiant effort on young Jerry's part. Not long after this, the water pressure on the water system dropped and there was no more water in his hose.