Petty family donates historic fountain
By JOE L. HUGHES II Ledger Staff Writer joe@gaffneyledger.com

Gaffney Mayor Henry Jolly and Gaffney Fire Chief Nathan Ellis are shown accepting the donation of the city's original public water fountain from the Petty family.

The original public water fountain that once stood in front of the old Gaffney City Hall building is once again in the city's possession.

Standing as one of the last pieces of property remaining from the grounds of the old city hall, the fountain had been in the possession of the Petty family. But a disagreement during a recent city council meeting helped change that.

"I was reading the newspaper and watching the news constantly talking about the controversy regarding a possible water fountain," Gaffney resident Carlton Petty said. "The more I heard about it, the more I began to tell myself the fountain belonged back with the city.

"The city deserves it."

Not long after the council meeting Carlton Petty called Gaffney Mayor Henry Jolly telling him of his decision. According to Jolly, it was the good news he had been waiting for regarding the issue.

"At one point, there was not a lot of positivity surrounding the issue of a water fountain being placed in one of the city's parks," Jolly said. "But when (Petty) called me I could not turn him down."

The fountain was part of the old city hall grounds since the late 19th century, with it according to Jolly a "good place to get a cool, refreshing drink."

"It was real good water that came straight from the tap," Jolly said. "Even during the summer, the water stayed cool because of its location under the magnolia trees."

But once construction began on a new city hall building, the fountain along with a wealth of other items were deemed useless. However, Carlton Petty's father, former Gaffney Fire Chief Charles Petty, saw it as something worth keeping.

"A lot of the stuff from the old city hall was hauled off and destroyed," Carlton Petty said. "But he saw the fountain and asked if he could keep it, which of course they agreed with."

The fountain sat at his home for much of the past 40 years, gaining age as it sat in the family's storage area. However, Jolly hopes it will spend the coming years sitting in its rightful place - in front of the current Gaffney Fire Station- where the old city hall once stood.

"I am really going to push for the fountain to be in front of the fire station," Jolly said. "I know some believe that with the fountain I would support it going to Johnny Little Park. That is not so, as I want it to be in its rightful place."

If the property is not approved to go in front of the fire station, Jolly hopes it could be part of a potential firefighter's museum downtown.

"It would definitely fit in the museum if not able to be placed anywhere else," Jolly said.