The Park Place Fire Station

Courtesy of the Chief Donald Maguda Collection, we find the Park Place Fire Station which was the former home to the Fitch Company which is the current day Engine 441. We see company members standing proudly in front of their quarters with their 1951 Maxim pumper. The Fitch Company, the third company to be formed in Rockville, occupied these quarters from their inception in 1902, to 1972. This station was located behind town hall.

In 1972, both the Fitch Company and the Hockanum Hose Company would move into the new Rockville Fire Dept. headquarters at 15 Nye St., current day Station 441. The Hockanum Company would vacate their near century old quarters on West Main St. and The Fitch Company would vacate their quarters and transition into the new fire station. The new fire station was named after Chief John F. Ashe, replacing The Fitton Hose Company Company #2, as department headquarters.

Sadly, the Park Place Fire Station would be razed in the 1970’s to make room for more parking behind town hall, and the Hockanum Hose Company was also torn down. All that remains of the Park Place Station is a portion of the rear brick wall behind town hall. The sign remains preserved on the upstairs wall of Station 441.

 

Talcottville Company #3 Former Apparatus

The Town of Vernon Fire Department is featuring Talcottville Company #3’s former apparatus courtesy of the John W. Turner Collection. Company #3 operated this 1953 Ford / Maxim pumper out of their quarters until being replaced by a 1969 Mack CF-600 pumper built in Allentown Pennsylvania. The 1969  […]

Continue reading

The Dobsonville Company

Dobsonville Fire Protection – 2nd to None! In the series of articles inspired by The Chief Maguda Collection, this month we will be spotlighting The Dobsonville Company of the former Vernon Fire District. This is now home to ET-241 of the Town of Vernon Fire Department in its present location on  […]

Continue reading

City of Rockville Steamer

This steamer served The City of Rockville, from 1895 to 1923, when the department began using fully motorized apparatus. This Steamer, which served the Fitch and Fitton Hose Companies along with The Snipsic Hook & Ladder Company’s 1913 Horse Drawn City Service ladder, were the last two horse  […]

Continue reading

Snipsic Hook & Ladder

The next installment of The Maguda collection will feature The Snipsic Hook & Ladder Company. This company was where Chief Donald Maguda started his career with the Rockville Fire Department in the year 1954. Chief Maguda’s son, Captain David Maguda ,who graciously donated this extensive  […]

Continue reading

Fire Chief Donald J Maguda Hidstorical Collection

What is to be presented in the next coming weeks, months, and years, is that of a wonderful historical collection of the late Fire Chief Donald J. Maguda, (July 11, 1933 to December 9, 2023). Chief Maguda started with the Snipsic Hook and Ladder Company stationed out of 5 Prospect St., the Fitton  […]

Continue reading

Page top