Site Record
Metadata
Site# |
175 |
Site Name |
South Portland Hose & Ladder Co., No. 1 |
Description |
After the (then) Town of Cape Elizabeth signed a contract in May 1892 to bring in public water from Sebago Lake, water pipes and fire hydrants began to be installed in the northern neighborhoods that summer. With no town fire department, residents of the northern neighborhoods began to talk about forming volunteer hose companies to raise money for fire equipment and for a more coordinated response to local fires. The first neighborhood to form a hose company was Ferry Village (although they called their neighborhood "South Portland" at that point in time). On September 21, 1892, residents met at the Union Opera House, on the corner of Monroe and School Streets, where they formed the Volunteer Hose Company No. 1. The Volunteer Hose Company No. 1 immediately acquired a wooden building for storage of fire equipment and began the process of raising money and purchasing hose, nozzles, hydrant wrenches, ladders and other equipment needed for fighting fires. In 1895, members voted to build a new hose house on School Street; the building was completed and occupied by January 22, 1896. In 1898, when the Town of South Portland adopted the city form of government, the call company changed its name to South Portland Hose & Ladder Company, No. 1. The company would change its name two more times: in 1930, after eliminating its ladder cart, they changed the name to simply "Hose 1, SPFD"; the last name change took place in November 1937 when they became "Engine 1, SPFD". Most locals remember this company simply as "Engine 1". Company captains include: Forest L. Paige (1892-1893) David Willard (1893-1895) George H. Upton (1897-1899, 1901-1903, and 1909) Charles Coffen (1899) Benjamin K. Thompson (1900-1901) William A. Skinner (1903-1904) Harry B. Purington (1904-1905) William H. Turner (1905-1908) Joseph H. Upton (1910-1911) James E. Paige (1911-1921) Andrew Y. Skinner (1922-1923) Alfred Brooks Oscar T. Wallace Edward H. Richardson (who served for more than 20 years) Robert Wallingford, Jr. Carleton E. Winslow |
