Lawrence Road Fire Company History
(from http://www.lawrenceroadfire.com/history)
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The following pages are dedicated to the history of Lawrence Road Fire Co., which was organized under the name of Lawrence Volunteer Fire Association on May 1, 1914. Much of the information presented here is taken from a 314 page history book that was compiled especially for the fire company’s 85th Anniversary celebration, held on May 1, 1999. Of course, not all the information printed in that text is presented here, as that would simply be too overwhelming. Still, although edited down, there is still a tremendous amount of historical detail available to you on these pages. We are sure you will find something to interest you in these pages. The earliest historical information comes directly from the minutes of the fire company’s monthly meetings. These entries offer a fascinating look at the organization and development of the fire company, including details on the building of the first firehouse (a small wood-frame structure), the purchase of the fire company’s first two pieces of firefighting apparatus (a hand-drawn chemical engine and a 1917 Jeffrey motorized chemical engine), and the company’s very first fire call. Unfortunately, much information has been lost to us over the years, as the minutes from January 1920 through May 1929, and also from 1936 through 1939, are missing. Later entries come from newspaper articles or fire company incident reports and give fascinating and insightful details of the many large fires and other emergencies to which Lawrence Road firefighters have responded over the years. In these pages are details of Lawrence Township’s most historic and devastating blazes, including the tragic fire on Pine Knoll Drive that took the lives of six people in January 1964. Also included are details of major fires outside the township – in Trenton, Ewing, Hopewell, and beyond – that Lawrence Road volunteers have helped battle. There are also several pages filled with historic photographs, showing Lawrence Road’s heroes at work. The following links will direct you to the Lawrence Road Fire Company's Web pages dedicated to the history of the organization. History: 1914 – 1916 |