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History . . .
On May 1, 1886 a meeting was held in the All Saints School
House (Stone Church) to incorporate a fire company in Navesink
to protect life and property from fire. It had been previously
published in the Atlantic Highlands Independent advising
the public of the meeting and requesting all interested persons
to attend. The men who were most active in their endeavor were
Timothy M. Maxson Sr., A.J. Swan, and Edwin E.Burdge.
The name chosen on this memorable occasion was The Navesink
Hook & Ladder Co. # 1 of Navesink, New Jersey. The incorporation
papers were signed and the following names were affixed to the
Document as charter members : Benjamin F. Burdge, A.J. Swan,
E.E. Burdge, Thomas H. Golden, William A. Maxson Jr., Joseph
Mount, Benjamin F. Tomkins, Charles E. Wilson, William D. Carhart,
William E. Manning, George Brannin, and T.M. Maxson.
At this meeting, the following officers of the company were
elected to serve until July 1, 1886:
President - Wm. E. Manning
Secretary - A.J. Swan
Treasurer - E.E. Burdge
Foreman - T.M. Maxson Sr.
1st Assistant - Benjamin F. Burdge
2nd Assistant - Charles E. Wilson
Fin. Secretary - Thomas H. Golden
The new company faced many difficult years in the beginning.
Equipment was hard to obtain since they had very little money
to purchase the many needed items such as buckets, wagons, axes
and other essential equipment needed in those days to fight
fire. From this company's very beginning, the assistance given
it by the Community, has been exceptional. On October 27, 1886,
Mrs. Eliza Barnes donated a wagon to the company and offered
the use of her barn to keep it in and this generous offer was
accepted. Her son, Walter J. Barnes, donated the first ladder
which was also accepted. This was our first apparatus and from
time to time buckets were purchased as company funds allowed.
Many affairs were held to raise money and these dances and
card parties in the old Navesink Hall were usually successful
money-raising affairs. On August 12th and 13th, 1886 our first
Fair was held in the Navesink Hall. They called it a Peach and
Ice Cream Festival at that time and netted a profit of $63.00.
Each succeeding year the affair was held and became progressively
more successful until today it is one of the best known Firemen's
Fair's in the area. The slogan "Meet your friends at the Fair"
was taken literally by everyone even back in the first days
of our Fair.
On October 6, 1887 the company rented part of the Stearns
Building on Monmouth & Stearns Ave. for $50.00 a year and had
both a Truck House and meeting room. On November 3, 1887 the
first fire truck was built by Joseph Stankiewitz of Stone Church
for the sum of $78.00. This was a hand drawn affair which could
be pulled by a horse if one was available at the time of the
alarm. On January 5, 1888 T. M. Maxson was elected Navesink's
first Fire Chief of the Middletown Township Fire Department.
At this time the only other fire company in the Department was
the Everett Hook & Ladder Company in Atlantic Highlands, which
was then part of Middletown. On October 10, 1889 a gong was
purchased for the first fire alarm. This was locomotive rim
which was mounted on a frame and struck with a heavy hammer.
The desire to own their own truck house was discussed at many
meetings and on September 16, 1890 the lot across the street
from our present building was purchased for $225.00 and a building
committee was formed to explore the costs of building a truck
house. This committee was J. E. Williams, Edwin E. Burdge and
T. M. Maxson. The following meeting plans were presented by
Ed Burdge and it was decided to build a building 18'x36' according
to Mr. Burdge's plans. Mr. T. M. Maxson donated $250.00 in lumber
and money was borrowed from several residents of Navesink, and
on July 30, 1891 the first meeting was held in the new Fire
House. Most of the labor in building this Fire House was furnished
by the firemen themselves with a few residents'assistance. The
total cost of the new building was $1100.00. Furnishing our
new fire house with limited funds was a new challenge and a
stove was purchased for $6.00 and 3 settles were bought for
$3.00 each. Other furnishings were donated by members and residents
of the village.
The old minutes provide many interesting notes. In the annual
report of 1891 it was noted the company had 2 fires which were
extinguished. In 1892 we had one fire for the year and saved
the house of George D. Smith.
On May 5, 1892 the company purchased a small bell to replace
the gong for a fire alarm for $45.00 and paid 25 cents freight
on the steamer "Sea Bird" to have it brought down from New York
City.
On September 4, 1902 the mortgage of $250.00 was paid off
and burned at a Supper held at the Navesink Hall with appropriate
speakers. In later minutes it was found that they still owed
some money on the mortgage and eventually it was paid.
The company's desire for improvement seems to have been one
which began from the first meeting and still exists to this
day. In 1904 a large 1000 pound bell was purchased and installed.
The old bell was hung in a water tower on the Burdge property
at Locust Point for a second fire alarm in that part of the
community.
On April 6, 1905 the Rev. Mr. Lord, Pastor at Stone Church
invited the company to attend Good Friday Services at the Church
in a Body and this was accepted. This was the beginning of one
of the many company traditions which has been carried out to
this day. Each succeeding year the company has attended Good
Friday Services at the Stone Church. On December 2, 1909 the
company voted to put in electric lights in the truck house in
place of the kerosene oil lamps and Allen Beegle did the job
for $28.50.
On December 1, 1910 the company voted to purchase a chemical
engine for $53.75 providing we could pay for it a little at
a time. This proved to be much more effective than the buckets
formerly used. However, on February 2, 1911 they also added
a pump and a 3 horse power engine for $125.00 along with 100
feet of fire hose at 35 cents a foot.
We now had a truck that could be considered up to date but
proved quite heavy to pull and Tom Garney was paid $3.00 for
a horse to pull the truck for each alarm when available. About
this time the possibility of getting a motorized fire truck
was seriously discussed at many meetings and on May 19, 1911
a committee of Albert Burdge and Edwin E. Maxson was appointed
to look into the cost of such a truck. They reported back that
a used 1911 Thomas Flyer automobile of 60 horse power in good
working order could be purchased in New York for $750.00 and
a pump for same could be purchased for $125.00 which could throw
a stream of water 150 feet from the nozzle. The fire house was
again mortgaged and the car and pump purchased.
Engineer Albert Burdge was empowered to have the car converted
into a fire truck and with his experience put together our first
motorized apparatus. This soon became known all over the county
as most successful and dependable piece of equipment and this
company was called out to assist at many major fires all along
the shore and in Red Bank.
On March 5, 1914 a telephone was installed in George Rogers'
house across the street for fire alarms and cards were sent
out to every Middletown resident asking for a 10 cents donation
to defray the cost of installation and service. On December
6, 1917 the company purchased a second truck a Ford-Smith Forman
and rigged it up as a fire truck. The old hand drawn truck was
to be sold but the company had no bidders. A chemical tank was
placed on this truck which proved effective at small fires and
was later placed on another truck. This tank is still in the
company's possession along with a number of other items. The
original clock from the old fire house, the first bell, and
the original head table is still in the company's treasured
possession.
The many affairs held for the benefit of this company during
these years were assisted by wives and families of firemen on
October 7, 1920 the company voted to allow the ladies to organize
as an auxiliary and meet in the fire house. However, on March
2, 1922 the ladies were ordered to disband because funds raised
by them for the benefit of the company were not turned over
to the company but were used for personal gain. It was not until
March 15, 1958 that the Ladies Auxiliary was again organized
into the present efficient organization we have today.
On November 3, 1921 the large bell which proved too heavy
for the fire house roof was removed and given to the Belford
Engine Company and the old bell again put up on the tower, This
was used until October 4, 1923 when the first sterling siren
was purchased from Elmer Hesse for $40.00; this was later replaced
by a 5 horse power siren purchased from Elmer Hesse for $390.00.
On March 31, 1924 the company purchased a Buffalo-Reo 300 gallons
per minute triple combination truck for $46.00. On October 2,
1924 the company voted to give the old hand drawn fire truck
to Mervin Hallam who had stored it in his garage for a number
of years free of charge.
On October 1, 1925 the company discussed the need of water
supply in Navesink and voted to build a cistern on the corner
of Meadowbrook Lane & Monmouth Avenue. This was built by Frank
Hower at a cost of $122.94 and proved a very effective source
of water for fire. On April 6, 1928 the company purchased a
Chevrolet Chassis and traded in the Ford-Smith Forman. The allowance
on the Ford was $41.00 and the chemical tanks and equipment
was transferred to the new chassis.
On April 4, 1929 the company purchased the first lot across
the street for $1200 for a new fire house. The company also
voted to build a new building of hollow tile 26'x50', two stories
and two bays. Bid were received at the following meeting and
contracts awarded totaling $9758.60. On September 12, 1929 the
old fire house was sold to Howard Maxson for $10 and the first
meeting in the new fire house was held on January 2, 1930.
In 1934 the company purchased a new Seagrave 600 triple combination
pump and the old Chevrolet chemical truck was sold to Edward
Jones who prompt converted it to an fee Wagon and used it around
the community for many year. In 1936 the company purchased a
1928 Brockway hose truck from the Locust Valley L.I. Fire Department.
A 250 gallons per minute front mount pump and a 21, gallon booster
tank was installed and this unit proved a very effective brush
true The old Reo-Buffalo was sold to the Glendola (N.J.) Fire
Co. In 1948 our Mack - 750 gallons per minute truck - was purchased
and the Brockway was donated to the Pine Brook Volunteer Fire
Company and was receive with great enthusiasm. In 1960 we purchased
another 750 gallons per minute Mack. In 1962 the company purchased
a Dodge 4-wheel drive brush truck and sold the Seagrave track
to the River Plaza Hose Company.
The Navesink Hook & Ladder Company for many years has earned
the respect of the residents of the community for its outstanding
work in community affairs as well as fighting fires. The company
with its own funds has taken on many project for the benefit
of the people of Navesink. Among these projects were the first
street signs, the purchase of the pond property on Lakeside
Ave. and rebuilding the dam and pond. Building the Little League
Ball Meld at the rear of the fire house for the children of
Navesink and were chiefly responsible for having Millers Crossing
cut through to Monmouth Ave. for the convenience of the people
of Plattmont as well as providing better fire protection for
that area.
The proceeds of our Fairs and fund drives have benefited the
community by providing us with funds to sponsor these civic
projects as well as purchasing our present equipment and building
of new fire house which was proudly dedicated in 1969. In 1975
the company purchased a new Mack 1250 gallon pumper to replace
the 1948 Mack. The old '48 Mack was sold to the Feldschoesschen
Brewery in Feldschoesschen West Germany and during the first
week of June 1975, the old Mack was driven to Port Elizabeth
and loaded on the Soviet freighter Pavograd. The truck arrived
in Germany on June 20,1975 and was used to advertise that brewery's
beer in German parades. When the brewery went out of business,
the truck was sold to a German volunteer fire company and as
best that we can learn, it is still fighting fires in Germany.
In 1986 we purchased a 1985 Mack 1250 gallon pumper to replace
the old 1960 truck. In 1993 a Ford Brushtruck was purchased
to replace the 1962 Dodge and in 1995, a Pierce-Lance pumper
replaced the 1975 Mack. Our present trucks, 1993 Ford Brushtruck
(Brushtruck 112), 1995 Pierce Pumper (Engine 111), and 1985
Mack (Engine 110)are among the finest fire fighting equipment
to be found in our area and were purchased and are maintained
through the generous patronage given to us by the community.
This patronage has helped us to help the community and is deeply
appreciated by each and every member of this company.
This information on this page was compiled by
Navesink Hook & Ladder Fire Co. # 1 life member Edwin F. Banfield.
All photos and information on this page are property of Navesink
Hook & Ladder Co. # 1.
Question or comments? E-mail us at [email protected]
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