Fire Department History

The original Sunapee Fire District was organized at Esek Young's Hall on Wednesday, June 11, 1873, under the authority of the Selectmen of Sunapee, Daniel Eastman, William Russell and Edward Perkins.

The District was bounded as follows:

"Beginning at the dam at the outlet of Sunapee Lake thence easterly on the South Shore of said Lake to Lafayette Colby's land, thence following the line between L. Collins and Josiah Turner to John Y. Gardner's NE corner, thence on the line between J. Gardner's and J. Turner to Thomas P. Smith's NE corner, thence southerly on said Gardner's west line to the highway. Thence westerly on said highway to Charles E. Boyce's SW corner, thence following the line between M.F. and R.A. Eastman land and said Boyce's and to said Boyce's SW corner, thence westerly on said highway to M.F. Eastman's SW corner, thence on a line between M.F. Eastman's and Stephen Woodward to land of John B. Smith, thence on the line between said Woodward and said Smith to David Winn's land, thence on the line between said Winn's and said Smith's to the highway,

thence southerly on said highway to David Winn's house lot, thence westerly and southerly by said Winn's house lot to Aaron George's southerly line, thence westerly between land of said George's SW corner, thence on the same course to the land of Amasa Edes, thence northerly on said Ede's easterly line to said Ede's NE corner, thence westerly by said Ede's northerly line to the SW corner of land of Smith Morgan, Thence northerly by said Morgan's westerly line to land of Joseph G. Tucker, thence easterly by said Tucker's southerly line of land of William Currier, thence northerly between land of said Currier and said Tucker to said Currier's SW corner, thence easterly on said Currier's northerly line to the highway, thence southerly on said highway to Hiram Sargent's SW corner, thence easterly on the southerly line of said Sargent to said Sargent's SE corner,

thence northerly between land of said Sargent and land of Martin Lear to the highway, thence easterly and southerly on said highway to said Lear's house lot, thence northerly between land of said Lear and land of Joseph C. Savory to land of Hiram Newton, thence easterly on the land of said Newton and said Lear to the highway, thence northerly on said highway to the NW corner of land of Worthing George, thence easterly on said George's northerly line to Sunapee Lake, thence southerly on the shore of said Lake to the bound first mentioned."

At the first meeting, Josiah Turner was elected Moderator and Moses Sargent was elected Clerk of the Fire District. The Vote to establish the Fire District as outlined above was passed by a vote of "17 in favor and 9 against." Jabe T. Young, Josiah Turner and John V. Sargent were elected as fire wards and at a meeting of the fire wards at Josiah Turner's on August 9th they elected Jabe T. Young as Chief.

At a meeting of legal voters on August 30, 1873, it was voted to purchase " 150 feet of ladders, 2 hooks and one hundred 3 gallon Fire Buckets" and also to raise one hundred and twenty-five dollars to carry out the vote.

Apparently no meetings were held from March 1874 to January 1883, at which time a petition signed by John R. Smith, Stephen Abbott, Charles A. Knowlton, Orson Burpee, F.A. Young, A.B Abbott, Willis W. Trow, A.D. Cams, Moses S. Sargent, Solon W. Abbott, Sumner II. Sargent, A.P. Knowlton, N.P. Baker, Erastus R. Boyce, John V. Sargent and M.C. Muzzey forced a meeting which voted that "the money now in the hands of Jabe T. Young raised agreeable to a vote passed at a meeting of said fire district in 1873 be used to purchase hose for Fire Engine No. 1 now in said district."It is our opinion that this must be the hand tub still owned by the department. It is later mentioned that the Engine cost $50 and was purchased by subscribers.

In 1885, it was voted that "the fire wards endeavor to locate the engine house in a more central part of the village."

In 1886, it was voted to have "a community of inquiry in regard to the lease of the land where the old tin shop now stands. Also to enquire if the hose and the old Engine at Newport can be bought and price if for sale." it was suggested that the committee see if any arrangement can be made in regard to moving Engine No. 1 to a place near the Harbor Bridge. Later that year, the committee reported "in favor of purchasing one or more force pumps and hose instead of doing any of the above." Also in 1886, boundaries of the original district were expanded by petition.

In October of 1886, a meeting was held to rescind the vote to purchase the force pumps. At that meeting the only vote passed was the vote to adjourn.

From 1886 to March 28, 1903, all records of meeting are complete. On March 28, 1903, it was voted "to disband, surrender, and transfer all the property it now owns and has heretofore used in connection with its fire department to the town of Sunapee on condition that said town assumes all existing liabilities and that it organize and sustain a fire company and apparatus suitable to be used by said company in extinguishing fires."

Officially at least, there was no organized Fire Department from March 28, 1903 to November 1, 1904 when the records are again available. During this time, there are records of Hose No. 1 meeting but none of the department as a whole.

In 1904, the companies were known H.B. Sawyer Hose Co., the E.R. Muzzey Hose Co., and the Hook and Ladder Co.

Much space and time in the records is given to the organizing (and recovering from!) the annual Fireman's Ball, the first of which is recorded as being held in the Odd Fellows Hall in 1904. The records state that "a committee of three Odd Fellows be appointed to see what arrangements could be made about getting the hall."

It was also voted to finish the room above the fire station and purchase 48 chairs at $.75, one clerk table at $1.75, 6 spittoons at $.50, 6 tables at $.90 for the room.

Written records of meetings from 1912 to 1924 are lacking but a book showing attendance at all meetings is in existence.

GEORGES MILLS STATION ~(Engine 3)

On April 4, 1903, a meeting of the village was held and a fire company was organized. It was called Torrent Hose Company No.3 and was to be part of the Town of Sunapee Fire Department.

Reprinted from 125th Anniversary Celebration booklet, 11 July, 1998