File:Fire - Sonny Cannon outside the firehouse he was instrumental in building.jpg

Summary

Sonny Cannon outside the firehouse he was instrumental in building. Sonny was chief of the Brunswick Volunteer Fire Company for 37 years and the fire hall was a center of political power and famous-name entertainment in Frederick County for 2 generations.

On November 20, 1947, Cannon made a motion to build a new fire hall and auditorium. According to legend, people around town laughed at him when he set out to build it, but he got it done.

The fire company purchased the lot from Lee Horine for $3,800 and the structure was completed in 1951. The first floor housed the fire trucks, a dining room, kitchen and pool room. On the second floor, there was a 10,000 square foot ballroom with a stage where big bands and country music acts performed for large crowds. Dr. Thomas Strother loaned the fire company the money to purchase the wood for the ballroom floor, which was paid back at 4% interest.

(Photo from the Washington Post, October 29, 1967; information from "Brunswick: 100 Years of Memories" by the Brunswick History Commission)