History of the Ladies Auxiliary of the Linglestown Fire Company

The following post is from The 25th Anniversary of Linglestown Fire Company commemorative book. The anniversary was celebrated in June 1959.

On July 25, 1938 the following ladies met in the fire house to organize an auxiliary to the Fire Company. 

                                                 Mrs. Milton Allen      

                                                 Mrs. Herman Allen 

                                                 Mrs Ezra Care

                                                 Mrs. Edward Deibler

                                                 Mrs. Carlton Gardner 

                                                 Mrs. John Snyder 

                                                 Mrs. Paul Zimmerman 

                                                 Mrs. Ellen Light

The purpose of the organization was to promote and encourage civic activities among the women of the community and to assist the Fire Company, within their financial ability, in making improvements as needed to the fire house.

At this first meeting the following officers were elected:

                            President---------------------------Mrs. Paul Zimmerman

                            Vice President--------------------Mrs. David Nye

                            Recording Secretary------------Mrs. E. Victor Light

                            Financial Secretary--------------Mrs. Mrs. Carlton Gardner

                            Treasurer---------------------------Mrs. Herman Allen

                            Chaplain----------------------------Mrs. Milton Allen

Also at this meeting the Auxiliary established a charge to be made for membership of $.25 with dues at $.10 per month.

December 31, 1938 the records of the Auxiliary showed 63 active members.

Dues were established at $1.00 per year during 1939.

Auxiliary held a picnic on July 26, 1939, at Piketown to celebrate their first anniversary. All the firemen were invited.

Auxiliary paid the cost of installing water system in fire house in 1939.

Auxiliary held their first covered dish supper in1940.

Auxiliary entered parade as a marching group during the 175th Anniversary Celebration of the founding of Linglestown held August 1940.

Purchased an American flag for meeting room in 1941.

First deceased member of the Auxiliary, Mrs. Riley Hinkle, reported  in minutes of 1941.

Purchased service flag in 1942. Original service flag had 7 stars with more added later.

Auxiliary presented a gift to all firemen when they entered the Armed Forces beginning 1942.

Auxiliary set up a casualty station in the fire house in 1942.

Auxiliary printed first birthday calendars in 1944.

Through the efforts of the Auxiliary, the Community Garden Club of Linglestown was founded in 1944.

Auxiliary had a contest among its members which ran from April 1943 to April 1944 and raised a total of $2,500.

Service plaque purchased for the fire company in 1945. Service plaque had 72 names with one gold star.

Auxiliary sponsored a Girl Scout Troop in1949.

New ceiling in meeting room was paid for by the Auxiliary in 1951.

Auxiliary had a new tile floor laid in meeting room in 1952.

Auxiliary made first cancer dressings for the Cancer Society in 1954.

Auxiliary paid $500 towards the purchase of the tanker.

Auxiliary purchased bronze memorial to pay tribute to the firemen and members of the Auxiliary upon their death. Purchased in 1955 at a cost of $256.

Auxiliary paid $2,850 for new heating plant in 1955.

Auxiliary paid $400 towards the purchase of the portable light plant carried on fire truck. Purchased in 1958.

Auxiliary purchased five dozen folding chairs for meeting room in February 1959.

Auxiliary purchased new blinds for windows in the meeting room as well as the paint used to  repaint the meeting room in March 1959.

The Auxiliary is still active today.

History of Linglestown Fire Company - Part 3

The following post is from The 25th Anniversary of Linglestown Fire Company commemorative book. The anniversary was celebrated in June 1959.

The older firemen often relate the incident of the fire at the Regal Farm, located at the intersection of Route 39 and the road to Piketown at Beaver Creek, when the chicken house and later the house caught fire.  This fire occurred sometime after the Model T Pumper had been purchased, and the Linglestown Fire Company was still an unrecognized fire company.  However, the location of the fire unknown to the people of Linglestown, fire companies from Harrisburg. Penbrook and Progress came through the town blowing sirens and heading to the fire. The local firemen could not understand why their company was not called and they waited hoping someone would put a call through for them to respond to the fire. After about one half hour the fellows agreed they would go and see if they could be of any help.

When the Linglestown Fire Company arrived at the fire, the chicken house was already burned down and the house had caught fire.  Having some experience of pumping from streams, the Linglestown boys pulled up on the bridge, dropped the suction hose in the creek, connected up the 2 1/2" hose and started towards the house. As our boys started spraying water on the house, one of the members of the Camp Curtin Fire Company of Harrisburg said " Here I  will take the hose" and our boys said, "This is Linglestown's line, your pumper is down at the creek trying to pump water and can't". It is unfortunate that the Linglestown Fire Company was not called earlier, since through the efforts of the Linglestown Fire Company the house was saved from total destruction. No water was put on the fire prior to the arrival of the Linglestown Fire Company. From this time on, the Linglestown Fire Company was respected among all the other nearby fire companies as well as the citizens of the community when they heard the good work the Linglestown men did when they got into action.

This was published in 1959 so it was 1940 - 1959

The fire company at no time ever lacked drivers and volunteers when a fire call was received except during World War II, year of 1945. Many of the men of the community were called up for service and the older men were employed in defense plants and at military installations. There was a discussion as to the merits of teaching some of the women of the community how to drive the truck and to respond to alarms, especially during daylight hours.   However, the war ended in August 1945 and this situation soon adjusted itself when the boys returned home from the war.

Theft in Linglestown

This is an article from "The Evening News". We do not have the date. If you know the date, please let us know.  Thank you Esther and Sonny Bretherick for sharing this.

Carls Auto Body Shop is still in business on N. Mountain Rd.

History of Linglestown Fire Company - Part 2

The following post is from The 25th Anniversary of Linglestown Fire Company commemorative book. The anniversary was celebrated in June 1959.

During the year of 1900, the people of the community again tried to start a new fire company. A festival was held in Zimmerman's Hall to raise money to purchase chemical fire extinguishers. A net profit of $60.00 was realized from the festival and 12 fire extinguishers were purchased and distributed in various stores and homes in the community. The purchase of the fire extinguishers was the last that was recorded of this effort to organize a fire company.

On November 28, 1922, the homes of Mrs Carrie Feeser and Austin Schaner burned down and again a fire company was organized but it never went any further than the organization stage.

In February, 1934, a barn of Charles Reimert located in Linglestown burned down with the loss of two horses, in addition to the barn.  From approximately 1890 until the founding of the Linglestown Fire Company No. 1 in February 1934 it was always necessary to call Harrisburg to receive help to fight the fires in Linglestown. Later, when Penbrook and Progress Fire Companies were organized, they were called when help was needed.  However, due to communication services, a lot of time was lost when equipment had to come from Harrisburg, Penbrook and Progress. It was the Charles Reimert fire that caused great excitement and showed the people of the community the need of an organized fire company. Through the efforts of the Rev. Elias H. Phillips, minister of the Reformed Church, a call went out to the men of the community for a meeting to be held at the American Legion Hall(presently the Chapel of the EUB Church) {Chapel is no longer standing-ed} for the purpose of organizing a fire company. This meeting was held at 7:30 P.M. on February 28, 1934.

Chapel that was later the American Legion Hall .
Located north of the square across from the EUB Church.

Like the old Paxton Fire Company, the new organization called the Linglestown Fire Company, was also received by the people of the community with approval and criticism. Some thought that the new organization would die like the other companies the community tried to organize throughout the years. However, this group of men were determined. The first equipment used, if necessary, was to be buckets, hand fire extinguishers and ladders, the type that could be found in any person's home.

Meetings of the new fire company were held each month in the American Legion Hall, with the men of the fire company determined that this new company would not die. Various activities were held by the fire company during the year to raise funds in order to purchase a motorized piece of equipment. In 1935, the happy day arrived when the Ford, Model T fire truck was purchased from the Elizabethville Fire Company. From that day on, the community began to support the fire company and the membership grew rapidly. The men of the fire company, periodically would take the fire truck  down to Beaver Creek and practice pumping from the creek. As the fire company became known, and twenty-four hour service for fire calls was furnished by Zimmerman's Home for Funerals, the company received many fire calls .

...to be continued...

You Ate What ?

Laura Gifford and Denise Diemlier, members of Linglestown 250th Committee, have been working many hours researching Linglestown property owners and looking for interesting stories to go in the 250th Commemorative Book. They came across this interesting article published in the 1960's. We think it was in The Paxton Herald. 

The lady, Mrs. Edna Horting, in this article is Denise's Grandmother.

History of the Fire Companies of Linglestown

The following post is from The 25th Anniversary of Linglestown Fire Company commemorative book. The anniversary was celebrated in June 1959.

A special thanks to Louden (Sonny) and Esther Bretherick for sharing their book with us.

Part 1 

We are not sure when the first Fire Company was organized in Linglestown, but we do know from the History of Linglestown compiled by Nevin W. Moyer, that in 1850 a hand pumper was purchased from the Hummelstown Fire Company No.1 by the Paxton Fire Company of Linglestown.  Mr. Moyer's history relates that the pumper had the date of 1805 inscribed on it. He also records that this fire engine was pulled by hand by approximately 100 men from Hummelstown to Linglestown.

This first pumper was a water box with a hand operated pump. The water box was filled by a bucket brigade formed by both men and woman and pumped up through a metal spout which could be turned in any direction desired.  This fire apparatus was received with much admiration and criticism.

Some of the citizens were skeptical as to the effectiveness of this hand pumper but a demonstration at the home of one of the honored families of the community, Peter Heckert, Sr., residing on North Mountain Road, convinced the critics.  It is recorded that Mr. Heckert offered the fire company $5.00 for every brick the firemen could knock off his chimney with a stream of water.  The fireman accepted his offer and started to work. After pumping for some time the first brick tumbled, then another and another.  Mr. Heckert hurriedly ran into the house, came out waving $15.00 and asked the fireman to stop.  After this demonstration the fire company was accepted into the community.  This fire company due to inactivity, existed until about 1890. There was only one large fire of record which this company fought. This was in 1860 when the Aungst Undertaking Shop caught fire. The establishment was located at the present site of the Zimmerman Home for Funerals (now Hoover Funeral Home - ed.).  

The story is told how the boys of the town would sneak the old fire engine out of the firehouse on the 4th of July and on Halloween and pull the truck up and down the town yelling  like Indians and ring the bells.  Dr. W.C. Smith, who was recorded as being the president of the fire company, would chase after the boys, and since the boys became scared and would run away, it became necessary for the doctor to pull the fire engine back to the station with the aid of a few men he could muster from the village tavern to give him a hand.

In about 1898, the keeper of the Eagle Hotel of Linglestown, in some way secured this fire engine, and had the village blacksmith cut it down and use the wheels and part of the body to make a rig to haul beer kegs, ice, etc for the hotel.

Street Names of Linglestown

The following post was researched and written by Laura Gifford. Laura is a member of the Linglestown's Sestercentennial Committee.

In preparation for our sestercentennial, research has begun tracing the ownership of the original lots laid out by Thomas Lingle and three extensions of Linglestown using deeds.  This research has led to some interesting discoveries regarding the names of the roads in Linglestown.

Most of the roads have been around for as long as Linglestown has, but their names have changed over time.  Linglestown Road was originally named Market Street by Thomas Lingle.  Then, as now, this road extended well beyond Linglestown and was thus sometimes described as the road to Harrisburg, to the river, or to Fort Hunter. 

Blue Mountain Parkway was variously known as the road to Daniel Reem’s Stillroom or Mountain Alley.  

Linglestown Road and Blue Mountain Parkway *click to enlarge*

North Mountain Rd was called Mountain Street by Thomas Lingle, but was also called Front Street (1863), Main Street(1889), the road to Paxtonia, and confusingly also the road to Harrisburg.  The earliest use of North Mountain Road I’ve found is in 1963.  This road has been a public road since at least 1818; by 1926 it was part of state routes – Route 140 and then by 1941 Route 834. 

North Mountain Road. Note the trolley track on the right.

The western side of LaRue Street is the older part of this road.  It was originally named Walnut Street and the part closest to North Mountain Road was divided into lots in the early 1860s.  

Larue Street, Avis Lane, and Amber Street. *click to enlarge*

Avis Lane was around by then and was originally known as Penn Alley or Avenue.  The name change to Avis Lane appears to have occurred between 1960 and 1965.    

Finally, Amber Street, a street most of us have never encountered has had two other names – Branch Street, beginning by 1863, and Short Avenue.