Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by SMOKEnPipesJim on January 3, 2009 at 10:54pm

wow thats a shame , asst.29 , I would suggest starting with whatever the company might actually have meeting minutes, equiptment purchases ( this can include trying for instance Mack's historical records If they ever had a Mack engine , Etc Photos....any of the older members or Legacies of the department as well as anyone who's relatives may have been involved (small community)... I would also research any possible history using the library the desk referance clerk/libraian can certainly suggest anynumberof areas to begin searching from your state, county and township records to local levels... centenial books or othersof that type may give blurbs of local situations and incidents..In fact I just received a cenntenial book that I purchased on ebay of my city, I wasnt expecting much, but by checking in the index for Fire department , I found about 20 pages referanced one was two pages together, I opened to the 1st page and got a pretty deep list that included The Fire department was organized in the late 1700's reorganized in the 1840's and organized as a career department 1872 , It gives names , locations and often even the costs paid to build the firehouses from the volunteer to career days.... It also included a chunk of history I wasnt aware of a) Engine 4's firehouse was built in 1888, one year after engine 3's and When the book was written (1930's) Engine 9 was assigned to Chemical 2's house, but was listed strickly as built for engine 9 so it works both ways .... I also learned a lot more about how the vollie outfit worked and what were the major causes to force the paid department.....

it all starts with research.. and work...

Permalink Reply by SMOKEnPipesJim on February 5, 2009 at 5:24pm

I grew up in a very "historical region" home to the "Marine Histrorical Society" and it's Mystic Seaport Museum, is home to the last wooden Whaling ship of the general Civil War era, The whole region was was the backbone of the ship building industry, the site the museum occupies is one of several shipyards where Clipper ships were built as well... The Volunteer Department (2 companies) have along history of serving the village and Many of the orginal members were Shipbuilders, Shipyardowners, Financiers, bankers, tradesmen, because in those days there was a community 'need' and billards and card games at the houses were part of regular weekly social activity... I am posting below pics of the truck and truckhouse circa 1890 The company was formed in 1883 after previous attempts and "other" community attempts... The "other" company is Named B.F. Hoxie Engine company after they're most distinguished Member Benjamin F. Hoxie who ran the best Hotel around the corner from they're 1st engine house formed in 1873. Even for then having the houses a block away from the truck house. Seems weird to have them that close, until you realize that between them is a river with Bridge...the wooden turnstyle bridge was replaced in 1933 with a steel drawbridge and the concern for having the bridge catch fire diminished ....

Having orginals of photos like these around the "new" Firehouse, The hand drawn truck, a friday nightcard game sitting around the stove, spittoons on the floor, The upstairs Billards/meeting room
3 tables is most likely one of the driving forces for me togetinto this whole thing. I am appreciative that those before me were able to take the time to document and save some of these things

Attachments:

• MysticH&LCoNo11890.jpg, 41 KB
• Hooknladda.jpg, 35 KB

Permalink Reply by Auxman on September 11, 2009 at 9:02am

Although it would be a major slog, looking through old newspapers published in your town could provide a lot of information. If your town has a weekly newspaper, it wouldn't take you very long (relatively speaking) to scan through a lot of years (I find that I can go through a year's worth in about an hour). But, if you're big enough to have a daily paper, that probably wouldn't be terribly practical (Maybe an hour to scan a month's worth of issues).

Permalink Reply by TOMMY on October 5, 2009 at 6:52pm

IM DOING THE LOCAL NEWS RESEARCH IN MY SMALL TOWN.. MAN WHAT A JOB.. BUT THE FRUITS ARE MANY.

GOING BACK 75 -95 YEARS IS THE TASK. WHAT AN EDUCATION. TIME CONSUMING, BUT WORTH IT. WE DONT HAVE ARCHIVED PAPERS ON MICRO FILM OR ANYTHING!!!1 I'M LITERALLY GOING THROUGH THE ORIGINAL PAPERS IN THE BACK ROOM OF THE NEWS PAPER OFFICE. FIND A NUGGET, AND COPY IT.. LATER TO SCAN INTO A DIGITAL FORMAT FOR FUTURE REFERENCE AND TO PRESERVE IT FOR THE FUTURE GENERATIONS.

Permalink Reply by Charles Fiorino on July 25, 2010 at 3:25pm

Try looking up the old minutes from past years meetings

Permalink Reply by Louise Thornton on October 3, 2010 at 5:14pm

Check your municipality records they may have how and when other equipment was brought. also if you know the manufactures of the older trucks check and see if they my have records showing when a piece a brought.