History of Fyffe ›
Fyffe was incorporated in 1956. J.C. Hipp was the mayor of the newly incorporated town. The name was suggested by the Post Office Department around 1900. Among the first families who settled in Fyffe were the Burkes, Chappells, Whites, Campbells, Durhams and Rodens.
The first gin was operated by Bud Gravitt. The first school was established in 1917 with the high school being accredited in 1935. Fyffe Baptist Church was established in 1925 with the Worthys, Willinghams and Johnsons as charter members.
Old-time southern “shape-note” singing from the Sacred Harp hymnal was captured in full swing at the 1959 United Sacred Harp Musical Convention in Fyffe. This convention was recorded as the Southern Journey Series by Alan Lomax and evokes the musical world of the rural South and an era before radio, movies and television.
Fyffe, was the location of UFO sightings on Friday and Saturday, February 11-12, 1989. Over fifty people in the town of less that two thousand called the Fyffe Police Department to report sitings on two separate occasions.
It hovered at an angle from 1 o’clock to 7 o’clock with “bright lights at the top and bottom and a real bright light at the center. The curvature was outlined in green” with “a real bright light in the center.”
Fyffe Police Chief Junior Garmany and Asst. Police Chief Fred Works responded to the call. Following reports “well outside Fyffe city limits” they saw something in the sky and attempted to chase it. “At that time me and Fred were on County Road 43” said Chief Garmany. They got out of the car as they saw a UFO coming in their direction. “The object came on over and got straight overhead” said Asst. Chief Works. “It was big, wide and appeared to be a wide triangular shape. We kept waiting to hear the sound. We kept looking at each other and saying ‘where’s the sound’. We never heard anything”.
Over 100 news organizations from throughout the world converged on Fyffe. “What I saw the first time was like nothing I ever saw before. It was not a helicopter, it was not a plane. Not a sound” Chief Garmany stated.
Fyffe commemorates the UFO sightings during the Fyffe UFO Days Festival, held every August. The festival has arts and crafts, food, children’s games, antique tractor show, live entertainment, Civil War re-enactments, horse shoes, a street dance and rides in a hot air balloon.