Fire destroyed Trigg County High School on the night of June 20, 1960. (Photo taken by the Caldwell County Times)
It was 60 years ago in June that a fire destroyed Trigg County High School, disrupting school activities and sports.
The June 20, 1960 fire is thought to have been electrical in nature and began near the science department. Once the fire reached chemicals in the science classrooms, it caused explosions that were heard by Tommy Cunningham, a teacher that lived near the school. He alerted authorities to the fire.
Departments from Cadiz, Hopkinsville, and Princeton worked to extinguish the blaze, which caused a loss of nearly $750,000. The 23-year-old, two-story brick building was insured for $100,000.
In the days after the fire, a town meeting was held at the Trigg County Courthouse. It was decided that a 25-percent increase in property tax appraisal would help fund a new school. The school system had built a new elementary school (McUpton School) three years earlier, and their bonding potential was low. The new tax passed with little opposition.
With no gym, Trigg County’s basketball team practiced in a warehouse that is now Fourshee Building Supply in Cadiz. The Wildcats played all of their games on the road for the next two seasons. A handful of neutral site games were played at Christian County and Caldwell County with Trigg getting the gate.
Trigg County posted a 12-13 record in 1960-61 and 13-12 in 1961-62. Not a bad accomplishment for Duke Burnett’s Wildcats who were without a basketball home.
Jim Wallace was a senior on the 1960-61 team and averaged 12.6 points a game. He would later be an assistant coach under Burnett. A decade later, he would guide Trigg County to the Sweet 16 semifinals as a head coach.
Wallace recounted that time period which he says not only brought the basketball team together but brought the community closer as well.
In this interview excerpt, Wallace remembers seeing the glow of the fire from Canton and the aftermath.
Wallace talks about how the school, community, and Trigg County basketball team rallied after the fire.
