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Fairfield Fire Companies- Papers 1893- 1985

Collection, Ms B35

1893 – 1985
Fairfield Museum
The Fairfield Fire Companies collection deals primarily with the late nineteenth and early twentieth century phenomena of the volunteer fire department. Volunteer fire companies were fraternal organizations with strict membership rules and lifetime membership. The three companies represented in the collection are Fairfield Hook and Ladder No. 1, Southport, and Pine Creek. The volunteer companies were active primarily from the 1890s until the 1950s. Gradually, more and more paid firemen were hired by the town, and eventually the volunteer fireman was no longer needed in Fairfield. Paid companies continue to the present day. Fairfield No. 1 was established in 1893, Southport in 1895, and Pine Creek in 1942. Pine Creek was later disbanded in the early 1960s. The volunteers, as well as fighting fires, served as an important social group in the community. Among other events, the companies were active in parades, musters, carnivals, and fairs.
The collection is in sixteen boxes. It covers the time period between 1893 and 1985. The collection contains Thank You notes, bills, sympathy cards, Letters to the companies, reports of the Auditor, Treasurer, Secretary, Financial Secretary, Chief Mechanic, House Committee, Hose Captain, and Social Committees, Minutes from regular meetings, titles, bank documents, cash receipts, membership files, by-laws, oversized photos, and binders of photos. Boxes 1 through 8 contain Southport material. Boxes 9 through 14 contain Fairfield No. 1 material. Boxes 15 and 16 contain Pine Creek material.
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