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MILLIGAN COLLEGE, TN (Nov. 7, 2011) — The historic Firehouse Restaurant in Johnson City, Tenn., now offers a taste of Milligan College history in its lobby.
On loan at the request of Firehouse owners Tom and Donna Seaton is a framed display of Milligan sports memorabilia. The display contains an antique Milligan letter sweater, a photo of Milligan’s 1930 football team and a postcard of Seeger Memorial Chapel. The college presented the display on Monday, Nov. 7.
The sports memorabilia was donated to Milligan by Scott and Deanne (Klucsarits) Smith, of Elizabethton, Tenn. The 1990 postcard of Seeger Chapel was donated by Clint and Adele (Adinolfi) Holloway, of Nashville, Tenn. Nelson Fine Art Center in Johnson City donated the framing.
“Tom Seaton mentioned to me that he was interested in displaying some Milligan memorabilia at the restaurant,” said Shannon Castillo, Milligan’s director of marketing and community outreach. “It was about that time that the Smiths donated two identical Milligan letter sweaters. They were in pristine condition, and the icing on the cake was the team photo they found with them.”
Scott Smith is a third generation Milligan alumnus. He and wife Deanne found the letter sweaters while they were cleaning out Scott’s grandparents’ attic in Elizabethton. The sweaters belonged to his grandfather, Fred Snodgrass, a member of Milligan’s class of 1932. Snodgrass was the alternate captain of Milligan’s football team the first time the team won the Smoky Mountain Conference Championship.
Milligan’s football program played its last game in 1950, but there are many who remember its presence on campus. Letter sweaters from that era are a rare find for the Milligan archives.
“Our family has many connections to Milligan,” Scott said. “Both of my parents went to Milligan, and I also met my wife at Milligan. So when we found these sweaters, we were happy to donate them to an institution that has long been a part of our family.”
Coincidentally, Scott also has ties to The Firehouse Restaurant, where he worked in the mid-1990s. “I never dreamed my grandfather’s sweater would be hanging in the restaurant someday,” Smith said.
Like Milligan, The Firehouse has a keen appreciation of its history. Now in its 31st year of serving authentic hickory-smoked barbecue, the restaurant is located in the historic West Walnut Street Fire Hall. The fire hall was built in 1930 and served as Johnson City’s Station No. 2 until 1976. The West Walnut Street Fire Hall was home to many former fire chiefs and their families, including Chief L.L. Geisler and Chief Ralph Hamley. There are nods to the restaurant’s history throughout its “firehouse” décor.
“We are honored and proud that The Firehouse will display these pieces of Milligan history,” Castillo said. “For years, Milligan students have enjoyed eating and working at The Firehouse. When our alumni return to this area to visit, The Firehouse is often on their list of places they want to go to while they’re in town. It holds many Milligan memories.
“This has been a year to celebrate Milligan’s history and its future,” Castillo said. “We’re honored that The Firehouse is allowing us to share part of that history with the community.”
To learn more about Milligan’s history, read “Milligan College,” a pictorial history by local author Jan E. Loveday. This book is the newest addition to Arcadia Publishing’s popular Campus History Series and contains more than 200 photographs taken throughout Milligan’s history. It’s available in the Milligan College Bookstore.