I hope everyone who enjoys the heat is doing just that: enjoying it. For those of you like me that prefer it a little cooler, relief I am told, is on the way.
When the going gets hot, we tend to call one of the three first responder services in the city and continuing on last week’s theme I’m going to take a closer look at the Somersworth Fire Department again this week and more specifically the houses that hold the men and women who respond once we dial 911.
Over the years, there have been several firehouses and stations within the city limits. The very first of these houses could be found on the corner of Grove and Prospect streets. That building would be erected in 1880 and housed the hand tub named Conqueror No. 4. At that time, the hill was the center of Somersworth and many of the houses belonged to prestigious and well-known names in Strafford Country as well as Somersworth itself.
In 1872, the city began to develop a hydrant system, but it would not extend up the hill till much later date. With downtown now protected by the hydrant system, it was recognized that the hill was not in such a position and the bigwigs who lived there had the power to persuade the town that they needed a firehouse and a handtub to protect what were some of the largest and most prestigious homes in the town. Until the Prospect street fire house was built, hand tubs such as the Conqueror and Deluge had to be dragged up the hill along with the 1 to 2 tons of water they were capable of carrying. If you have ever been to the Summersworth Historical Museum on Main street and seen the hand tub Deluge, you will understand that this was no easy task. It’s worth noting here that Somersworth never had any horse drawn apparatus, making the task even more arduous. This was especially true in bad weather and it became increasingly apparent to all that there needed to be a remedy. The town would eventually extend the hydrant system to encompass the hill as well and this would be done in 1896 when water pressure within the city’s water system would allow it.
This in turn made the need for the hand tub as well as the firehouse redundant, The house which stood at the bottom corner of the Hilltop school triangle would remain there until 1975 when a group of Somersworth Boy Scouts attempted to refurbish it. There was also an effort by the Summersworth Historical Society to have the firehouse placed on the National Historic Registry. Before this could happen though, the fire house would become a victim of a mysterious fire itself late one evening
Many Somersworth seniors will be familiar with the old Pleasant Street station which was part of the city firehouse infrastructure from 1858 when it had housed just one engine; Conqueror No. 4. At some point, another building was added and eventually in 1956 an addition meant that all of the city’s equipment could be housed under one roof instead of the five that had been spread around the city previously. Centrally located downtown, the station was called the Central Fire Station and would serve the city until 1978 when the station that most of us are now familiar with on Maple Street was built.
When it was deemed that Central Fire Station was no longer up to the job, the city undertook building a new station. That station would be built in part by the class of 1977 building trades class, under the direction of Mr. Crichton and then city engineer Norm LeClerc. According to city records, the building costs were bonded at $250,000 which lasted for 20 years which was considered to be the lifespan of the building. The building itself was fabricated using a method known as bloc bonding and would be the first public building to be heated with a combination of solar power and forced hot air.
As it turned out, the solar power heating system would never be used as it was found to not work within a very short space of it being installed much to the dismay of all involved. The project would also go over budget with another $75,000 being required from the city budget to complete the project. Despite the setbacks though, the building and its five bays have served the city well for almost 50 years, especially when you consider that it was only supposed to have a lifespan of 20 years.
Today the city is embarking on once more building a new fire station. This time the station will be located at the present site on Maple Street and it is hoped that ground will be broken soon on this much needed project that will hopefully guide the city and its fire department well into the 21st century.
I will end this week and leave you with wishes for a happy and safe July 4th weekend as we celebrate the 244th birthday of America.