Category: Preservation

Are fire departments engaged in historic preservation measures?

Last week, I attended a lecture on the history of the Susquehanna Hose Company, the fire department that has guarded the small waterfront town of Havre de Grace Md from flames for over 100 years. Havre de Grace has many historic underpinnings, including George Washington, who often passed through town to take the ferry across the Susquehanna River; General Lafayette, who gave them their French name; and the War of 1812, where Rear Admiral George Cockburn torched the town for flying an American flag early on the morning of May 3, 1813. A few of the buildings in town survived the fire, and many more exist that date to the Civil War and the turn of the century.

During the speech the president of the fire company gave, he spoke of his fire fighters’ awareness of the historic treasures they have in town. He talked about several fires where they lost historic buildings and how upset the company was that they couldn’t save the buildings. He also talked about working with the owners of historic buildings on fire prevention. (more…)