Department History
Formation of Brattleboro Fire Department
At last, the Brattleboro Fire Department came into being in 1860. Charles Chapin is generally regarded as the first "chief" of the department which consisted of at that time of the Hydropath #3, Fountain #4, and Pheonix #6 (formerly Mazeppa) Engine Companies, all hand drawn and operated. The Proctor Hook and Ladder Company and West Brattleboro's Western Engine Company #1 and Rapid Engine Company were also important components of the department.
At various times there were still independent fire companies such as the S.M. Waite Hose Company, The Estey Organ Engine and Hose Company and that of the Brattleboro Asylum, later the Retreat. The Esteyville Fire Company #7, operating a hand drawn chemical unit housed on Chesnut Street, later became an important addition to the Brattleboro Department. Other added forces included the Elliot Street Hose Company which eventually was housed at the Proctor Hook and Ladder unit at the Elliot Street site now occupied by McNeil's Brewery.
Arrival of Steam Engines
In Brattleboro as elsewhere, dramatic changes were taking place in the latter third of the century. The advent of the steam enginewas revolutionary in the fire service and Brattleboro wasn't far behind. As steamers replaced the hand operated engines, some of them went to serve other towns as front line apparatus and some to be used only for competitionand parade relics. The old Fountain #4 engine, sold at auction in 1880 moved to Waterville, Mass it's career ending in Westerly, Rhode Island in 1920, when it was dismantled.
The Fountain Company moved into the Elliot Street Central Station to operate the town's second steam engine, the first having been given to the Hydropath Eng Co which was housed there. Then the hand operated Pheonix #6 Engine moved across the brook to occupy the old Fountain quarters at South Main and Canal Streets. The Hydropath hand operated machine went to Lowell, Mass and the old Western hand engine was sold to Williamsville, VT.