Cecil

Recognized Firewise Community/USA

The Cecil Firewise board gets its inspirationfrom the tiny town's active volunteer fire department. Fire Chief Benny Lowrey has been active in the department since Cecil received is first pumper truck from the Arkansas Forestry Commission in 1978.

Lowrey's aunt, Lynda Molton, is also a member of the volunteer fire department, and shared some of the history of the Franklin County town on the south bank of the Arkansas River.

Cecil got its name from Thomas J. McClain who became the town's postmaster on Aug. 28, 1886. His oldest sone was named Cecil. The town was previously known as Pleasant Ridge.

Near the turn of the 20th century, there were two stores in Cecil. One, owned by Ambrose Williams, was called "The Commisary." The other was called "Chancey's Store." Owned by A.H Chancey, it also housed the post office. Mr. Chancey was the Postmaster, and Charlie Andrews was the mail carrier. Today, Tammy and Gary White operate a small store and café on Arkansas 41 (left) that is a gathering place for the community.

James Monroe Andrews, Lynda Molton's great-grandfather, had a barber shop between the two stores. Mr. Andrews was also a carpenter and built Cecil Methodist Church and the church parsonage next door. The old Duard Langston house, which is located just south of the Post Office, is among several others he built in the area.

When James Monroe Andrews built the Cecil Methodist Church in 1910, he placed a one dollar gold piece, an ear of corn, a Bible and a mustard seed inside the southeast cornerstone of the church. His belief was that if something should ever happen to the church, that theseitems of faith would give the church faith enough to overcome. The Lish family donated the land for the original Cecil cemetery. Within the past few years, the cemetery has reached capacity, so the Andrews family recently donated an equal amoung of property to the cemetery for future use.

Mrs. Ola Titsworth, who turned 93 on Feb. 14, 2006, said her earliest memories of Cecil were the two general stores, post office, blacksmith shop, grist mill, barber shop, a local doctor named Dr. Downey, and the Methodist Church, where she still regularly attends services.

Things began to change in the late 1940s when natural gas was discovered on the Ralph Barton property just west of Cecil. One well after another was drilled, and the gas field is now one of the largest gas fields in the country.

Mr. Andrews' great-great-grandson, Benny Lowrey Jr., built the current fire station, and is on the board of directors for the Cecil Methodist Church. Andrews' great-granddaughter, Lynda Molton, is Development Director for the Cecil Fire Department and a member of the church worship team.