Tennessee Highway Patrol Collection, 1937-1994

State of Tennessee Department of State Tennessee State Library and Archives

Garland, Printest Dainy, 1913-2002

1937-1994, bulk 1958-1959

Consists of photographs associated with the Tennessee Highway Patrol, dated 1937-1994. Most of the photographs are composites or group pictures of Tennessee Highway Patrol divisions from major cities in Tennessee, including Memphis, Chattanooga, and Nashville. Included is a group photograph from November 1959 showing Tennessee Highway Patrol Commissioner Greg O’Rear, Commander C. J. Webb, and Captain P. D. Garland in front of the Tennessee Highway Patrol Second District headquarters in Chattanooga, otherwise known as the “Dick Webb building.” Another photograph shows the “Dick Webb building” which was erected in November 1959 on U. S. Highway 41 in North Chattanooga. A group photograph from 1978 shows the Tennessee Department of Safety Information Office in Nashville with Director Jim Henderson. A photograph called, “Inspection Time” shows Tennessee Highway Patrol troopers standing next to vehicles ready for inspection.

The collection also holds a license plate from the American Association of State Troopers and the program for the Tennessee Highway Patrol Retired Officers Association 17th Annual, dated October 1, 1994. The program includes a biographical sketch of P. D. “Danny” Garland on page ten that summarizes his career in the Tennessee Highway Patrol.

The collection includes several oversize photographs which are housed in Oversize Box 1. Included is a newspaper clipping and photocopy from the

Chattanooga News-Free Press featuring the original group picture from July 27, 1949, of the Chattanooga Division State Patrol headed by Captain C. F. Webb. Additionally, two Tennessee Highway Patrol group photographs are of officers posed in front of the Tennessee Supreme Court Building in Nashville.

3 cubic feet

2016-057

English

V-F-6

Printest Dainy “Danny” or P.D. Garland was born in May 1913 and was a native of South Pittsburgh, Tennessee. P. D. Garland married Bonnie Ruth Garland and had a daughter named Dainy Garland Masic. He served in World War II in the US Navy and Naval Reserve with the rank Boatswain’s Mate G (Shipboard) Petty Officer 2nd Class (BMG2). He was commissioned for the Tennessee Highway Patrol on July 26, 1937, and trained in Nashville. After training, he was stationed in Memphis. After several transfers, he ended his 31-year career as a captain with the highway patrol in 1968 in Chattanooga. After retiring, he was an associate of Hamilton National Bank and a safety inspector with Watkins Motor Lines and Refrigerated Transport. He was a life member of VFW Post 1289, a 54-year member of the American Legion Marion Post 62, a 50- year member of Marion Lodge 515 Masons, and an active member of the Tennessee Highway Patrol Retired Officers Association. He died on March 23, 2002, and is buried at Chattanooga National Cemetery.

Tennessee Highway Patrol (THP)

The Tennessee Highway Patrol (THP) is the leading agency for patrolling state roads and highways across eight districts of Tennessee with four communications centers. Their primary responsibility is traffic enforcement along with crash investigation. THP maintains a national and state accreditation through the

Commission on the Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies (CALEA) and the Tennessee Law Enforcement Accreditation (TLEA) program.

(From Tennessee Blue Book 2019-2020)

Department of Safety

The Department of Safety, now an independent agency, was preceded by the Tennessee Highway Patrol, and before that by the Tennessee State Police, which was created by Chapter 96 of the Public Acts of 1919. The State Police became the Highway Patrol in 1929 and was administered by the Department of Finance and Taxation until 1937. The Highway Patrol was later shifted to the Department of Administration, and in 1939 the Department of Safety became its own entity. When P.D. Garland was commissioned in 1937, the Tennessee Highway Patrol had 65 members and Joes Boyd Williams led the THP as part of the Tennessee Department of Administration. T.H.P did not become civil servants until 1941, and in 1942 troopers began radio communications. The Department of Safety received Cabinet level status in 1945.

(Adapted from Ted Guillaum’s finding aid for the Department of Safety Commissioner’s Records, 1979-1983, RG 249, Tennessee State Library and Archives.)

The collection is arranged in alphabetical order by document type.

No restrictions.

While the Tennessee State Library and Archives houses an item, it does not necessarily hold the copyright on the item, nor may it be able to determine if the item is still protected under current copyright law. Users are solely responsible for determining the existence of such instances and for obtaining any other permissions and paying associated fees that may be necessary for the intended use.

Personal/Family Names:

Garland, Printest Dainy, 1913-2002

Henderson, Jim, active 1978 Morrow, Norman L., Jr., 1922-1985 Mims, A Palmer, Jr., 1890-1969 O’Rear, Greg, active 1959-1971 Sherrill, Bob, active 1959 Webb, Clifford Fletcher, 1905-1974

Tennessee. Department of Safety Tennessee Highway Patrol Tennessee Highway Patrol Retired Officers Association

Law enforcement -- Tennessee Police -- Tennessee

Chattanooga (Tenn.) -- History -- 20th century -- Sources Memphis (Tenn.) -- History -- 20th century -- Sources Nashville (Tenn.) -- History -- 20th century -- Sources

Clippings (information artifacts) Composite photographs License plates Photographs Programs (documents)

P. D. Garland’s daughter, Dainy Garland Masic of Hixson, Tennessee, donated this collection to the Tennessee State Library and Archives in 2016.

Tennessee Highway Patrol Collection, 1937-1994, Tennessee State Library and Archives.

Processing was completed by TSLA Archives Collection Services volunteer Jacqueline Devereaux in October 2020. No items were removed from this collection during processing.

DETAILED COLLECTION DESCRIPTION

Contents/Item Title Date Box Folder License plates -- American Association of State undated 1 1 Troopers Photograph --"30 Armd Div Arty” 1958 1 2 Photograph --"Inspection time” 1967 1 3 Photograph -- Opening of highway patrol undated 1 4 building at Belvidere Photograph -- Staff photo 1958 1 5 Photograph -- Tennessee Department of Safety 1978 1 6 Information Office Photo -- Nashville, TN Photograph -- Tennessee Highway Patrol 1959 1 7 District Headquarters -- Chattanooga, TN Photograph -- Tennessee Highway Patrol second 1959 1 8 district headquarters captain P.D. Garland, commissioner Greg O’Rear, and commander C. F. Webb -- Chattanooga, TN Photograph --Tennessee Highway Patrol Second 1969 1 9 Division -- Chattanooga, TN Programs -- Tennessee Highway Patrol Retired 1994 1 10 Officers Association Photograph -- Tennessee Highway Patrol 1959 OV 1 Division 2 Photograph -- Tennessee Highway Patrol 1937 OV 1 Division 4 -- Memphis, TN Photograph -- Tennessee Highway Patrol -- group undated OV 1 photograph Photograph -- Tennessee Highway Patrol -- group 1943 OV 1 photograph Photographs -- The Valley Division of Tennessee 1949 OV 1 Highway Patrol -- Chattanooga, TN