Sheffield's old city hall building, also known as the Firehouse, stands at 311 N. Raleigh Ave. It is one of the oldest structures in the city. The lot was purchased by August W. McCullough for $705 at the great Sheffield land sale on May 8, 1884. A year later, McCullough was grading the lot "preparatory to erecting a handsome building at once."

In 1888, McCullough and his wife, Laura, of Huntsville, sold the property to Martha M. Voorhes (or Voorhees), of the State of Ohio, for $1,800. This included all the "tenements, hereditaments and appurtenances thereto belonging." The legal description of the property is Lot 19, Block 61 in the plot of the City of Sheffield.

The ground floor was used as a storehouse with living quarters on the second floor. No record regarding the kind of merchandise sold in the store has been found. Mrs. Voorhes and her husband, Carolus, sold the property for the sum of $2,000 to B.F. Little on Oct. 29, 1896.

It seems that the building was vacant until Feb. 12, 1904, when the City of Sheffield purchased it from Little's widow for $1,500. The city council authorized repairs to the building, insured it and took immediate steps to convert it to a city hall and fire station.

A man was employed - at a monthly salary of $30 and free rooms in the building - to take charge of the fire apparatus and to drive the hose wagon. Benches, suitable tables and other necessary furniture were purchased for the council chambers.

In addition, the council authorized $200 to purchase a horse for the fire department and also approved the construction of a brick stable (which still stands beside the main building).

In 1905, J.S. Frey was appointed chief of the fire department at a salary of $15 per month. Firemen were each paid $1 for every fire attended during daylight hours and $2 at night. In 1907, the monthly salary of the hostler was raised to $50.

The Sanborn map of 1908 describes the property and lists one driver, one horse, one hose wagon, one hose cart and 1900 feet of 2 1/2-inch hose. By 1912, the fire department had two horses and 12 firemen (four of them were named Machtolff). Polk's Directory of 1920-21 listed the city officials who had offices in the building.

The Sheffield Standard of March 12, 1926, urged the citizens to vote for a proposed bond issue for a new city hall.

"The old store building improvised into a 'city hall' with fire department occupying the ground floor and governmental officials above served splendidly the small town population of its original day, but at this stage in the history of Sheffield, it is a disgrace, a travesty upon the serious intentions of our citizens to develop here a city of real consequence to the world."

The new city hall was soon built, and the officials moved to it but the fire department remained in the old building until 1939. At that time, the city traded the property for four lots to be used for the new high school building. Then the fire department moved into a building on the corner of Raleigh Avenue and Fourth Street. That building is no longer in existence.

After 1939, the ground floor of the old fire station was used by a variety of businesses as a garage, for storage, as a cleaning shop, by a wholesale florist and an antique shop. From time to time, it stood vacant. The upstairs apartments were usually occupied by tenants.

In 2006, Steve Turner, a musician, and his partner, Sherry Smith, purchased the empty building and turned the ground level into a recording studio and performance center. Loft apartments and offices will be located upstairs.

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Richard C. Sheridan, of Sheffield, is a retired Tennessee Valley Authority research chemist, and author of several publications.