The Town Fire of 1926

On March 20, 1926, a fire started in the Gainesboro Telephone office on the Southside of the Albany square and destroyed the entire block, including the G.A. Guinn residence, N.L. Morgan residence, Wes Lee and Claude Brent residences, First Christian Church, Dr. William L. Story's drug store, Dr. John Sloan's office and garage, W.L. Perkins' garage and Smith & Stailey Drug Store. The New Era reported the loss was about $60,000 with only about $700 insurance. They were all frame buildings. The fire at the church destroyed the original building. The church was started in 1834. After the fire, the congregation made their own bricks and moved into the new building, the one in use today, on November 6, 1927