From “Doc Alders, Farmington’s Lone Eagle”: The Farmington Fire House stands across the street where Alders Service Station once was, now a Circle K/Shell Station has taken its place. There was a lot of arson going on in the early days. Doc was on the fire district for about 39 years. The arsonist used all kinds of contraptions. They had mouse traps and magnifying glasses. Cigarettes with kitchen matches stuck in the end of it.

Albert Honthaas settled on a ranch out on Gawne Road after WWII. One day Doc and Roscoe Yater made him a visit. They talked him into becoming a director of the Farmington Fire District. Albert was the recording secretary for the meetings and had them typed up each time. He served with the district for 12 to 14 years retiring in 1981.

The late Jim Lewis was Fire Chief in 1970. The Southern Pacific depot building was gone. The railroad and the warehouse building had fallen into disuse and the property had been purchased by Joe Souza, a Modesto car salesman and later the Ford dealer in Escalon. Inevitably, the warehouse property was a great temptation for thievery.

During a fire meeting, which were volunteers and Jim Lewis was Fire Chief at the time. A guy had some things he had loaded halfway on to his truck and it was too heavy. He went over to the Fire House to ask for help to finish loading his truck. Several of the men went over to help and saw what he was loading, told him he better unload what he had on there, and get out of town.

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Happy Birthday to Caroline Kroon, July 6.

Happy Birthday to Steve Brodie, on July 7 and also Crystal Kalebaugh Xavier.