On this day October 19

October 19, 1871 4:00 p.m. the cry of fire rang was again heard over town, this time coming from Railroad Street (Earl St today). A fire of undetermined origin began on the porch roof of a frame hotel. With strong winds a major conflagration was feared but the quick work of the firemen contained the fire to the building. The front of the hotel was heavily charred with slight extension to the interior. The Vigilant and Cumberland Valley Fire Companies answered the alarm.

At this time the borough fire companies had the word fire in their names instead of hose, it was not until after hydrants were installed that their names were changed. The Vigilant boys would have answered the alarm with their 1860 Button and Blake hand engine (the first new rig ever purchased by the borough) and a two wheel hose reel and the CV’s would have responded with their Philadelphia style hand engine called the “Cumberland Valley” that was purchased used in 1858 and a two wheel hose reel that was bought second hand from Baltimore in 1859 both rigs were the first for the CV’s.

Fire Prevention Week 1974

October 11, 1974 the Shippensburg Fire Department distributed fire safety information on the square. In the front row left to right are: Gerald Holtry, Vig. asst. chief; Susie Hoy, WEFR queen; Pam Diehl, CV queen; Robie Houck, Vig. queen, and Charles Myers, Vig. chief. In the back row are: David Rohr, WEFR asst. chief; Ed Goodhart, WEFR chief; Ray Holtry, CV chief; John Snyder, asst. borough chief, and Ronald Coleman, WEFR asst. chief.