HISTORY OF LADDER CO. 1
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COMPANY ORGANIZED: 1827
MOTTO: "WE ARE HERE."
COMPANY QUARTERS
COMPANY QUARTERS
1827-1835 Spring Street, southerly side, between Center & South streets
1835-1844 Congress Street, head of Smith Street in Boys grammar school #2.
1844-1860 154 Congress Street, south side, head of Smith, near India
1860-1861 Casco Street, easterly side, at the foot of Prospect Street
1861-1861 Corner of Franklin & Newbury Streets.
1861-1862 222 Congress Street, southerly side, between Lime & Pearl Streets
1862-1863 Franklin Street, westerly side, head of Sumner St. (old E-5 quarters)
1863-1866 222 Congress St. w/Steam E-3 (1862), 1863 w/SE-2, 1864 w/SE-5. (Firehouse destroyed during July 4th, 1866 Conflagration)
1867-1874 133 Market Street, corner of Congress Street (Casco-5 Firehouse)
1874-1895 99 India Street (easterly-side), near Congress Street
1895-1912 376 Congress Street (1867 firehouse, 1889-addition, “Central”)
1912-1915 99 India Street
1915-1924 376 Congress Street (old Central Station) with E-5 and Chemical 1
1924-1979 380 Congress Street (new Central Station with E-1, E-5, L-5, C-1)
1979-Present 134 Congress Street, south side, head of North Street, Munjoy Hill
(1977-1987 with Engines 1 and 5, 1987-with only Engine 1)
COMPANY NAMES
COMPANY NAMES
1827-1831 Hook & Axe Company
1831-1837 “Washington” Hook & Ladder Co. No. 1
1837-1844 Fire Company No. 11844-1887 “Washington” Hook and Ladder Co. No. 1 1887-1889 “Hayes” Truck No. 1
1889- Ladder Co. No. 1 July 1, 2019 – Assigned as a Quint Co.
ABRIDGED HISTORY
ABRIDGED HISTORY
1827 – A “Hook & Axe Company” was formed using a hand-drawn carriage to carry four ladders
(100-feet), four fire hooks, nine axes, and sails to cover roofs. The company housed it on Spring Street between Center and South streets, in a small one-story wooden building, next to a school house.
October 29, 1831 – The Company reorganized as “Washington” Hook & Ladder Co. 1, under the new Portland Fire Department, established by a State Law passed by the Legislature. A hand-drawn ladder carriage was acquired in 1835. The 1827 carriage was kept as a spare with no company attached.
By 1835 – Ladder 1 relocated to 154 Congress Street at the head of Smith, near India, into a section of the two-story brick Boys Grammar School House #2, next to the funeral lane at Eastern Cemetery.
March 30, 1837 – Ladder 1 reorganized again as Fire Company No. 1 in Ward 1. A longer carriage was built in 1839. Members inspected it after the quarterly meeting on January 7, 1840 and held a drill.
May 6, 1844 – Fire Co. 1 reorganized again as Washington L-1. A meeting room was fitted up.
July 10, 1845 – Co. Motto adopted “We are here” and a company banner made. Uniforms approved; Red flannel Shirts, Red flannel hip Pants w/stripes, broad-webbing Belt with brass clasp June 7, 1847. The Company again reorganized October 22, 1850 and a long flag pole was erected in front of firehouse.
1860 – A new steam engine (“Falmouth” 2) and a permanent engineer were placed in the Congress Street firehouse and school, and Ladder 1 relocated to Casco Street (Former firehouse of Deluge E-7).
1861 – Board of Engineers disbanded Ladder 1 August 8th. The company reorganized August 11th, relocating to the old wooden two-story Congress Street school house, between Lime & Pearl Streets, opposite the 3rd Parish church. The Casco Street firehouse was razed to build a new school house.
1862 – Ladder 1 moved to three-story brick Franklin Street schoolhouse (former Hand E-5 quarters) because the new Steam E-3 and Engineer were placed in the Congress St. firehouse. A petition was submitted in December to move to hearse building next to their former quarters.
1863 – Ladder 1 relocated back to the adjoining part of the Congress Street firehouse of Steam E-3.
1864 – Steam E-3 moved to Brackett St., Steam E-4, later replaced with Steam E-5, moved in with L-1.
July 4, 1866 – Conflagration destroyed 1,500 buildings including Ladder 1 and Steam E-5’s firehouse.
1867 – Ladder 1 received a new Remington & Moulton one-horse ladder carriage, and moved into the Market Street side of the new Casco-5 Congress Street Engine House (same block as the old quarters).
1868 – S.B. Harmon began improvements to remodel the carriage to carry more ladders, totaling 223-feet, drawn from plans of Ladder 1 Captain George Riley. The truck was back in service in 1869.
1873 – Ladder 1 received the first PFD-owned horse for the Congress & Market Street Firehouse.
1874 – Ladder 1 received a new Hunneman ladder truck and relocated to the 1869 two & ½-story brick Engine House at 99 India Street. A Street Department Driver and two horses were assigned. The old
L-1 carriage and horse remained on Market Street for newly formed “Eagle” L-2. A formal dedication of the India Street firehouse was held by Washington L-1 with a social party on November 27th.
August 21, 1887 – Ladder 1 received a new “Hayes” 85-foot, two-section wooden aerial ladder tiller truck, built by LaFrance Fire Engine Co., Elmira, NY (PFD’s first aerial & tiller), with a two-horse hitch. The former 1874 Hunneman truck was kept as a spare in the India Street firehouse with Ladder 1.
May 24, 1888 – The Board of Engineers appointed a Permanent Tillerman and purchased two horses. On June 28th, a Permanent PFD Driver was appointed for L-1, replacing the Street Department Driver.
March 16, 1889 – Ladder 1 was reassigned L-2’s Talbot & Moulton truck (L-1’s former 1867 L-1 rebuilt in 1885 with two-horse hitch. The L-1 Hayes aerial truck was reassigned to L-2.
December 24, 1890 – 3 firemen hurt in an accident responding to Box 412 at India & Middle streets.
May 6, 1895 – Ladder Co. 1 relocated back to Casco 5’s Congress Street firehouse, which had been renovated in 1889 with a two-door front-left side addition as “Central Fire Station.”
January 19, 1912 – The new Chief, Patrick Flaherty, again transferred Ladder Co. 1 back to India Street and brought the Hayes Aerial Truck (renumbered L-5 in 1899) back to Central Fire Station.
1914 – A Permanent Captain was appointed to Ladder Co. 1.
1915 – The new Chief, Almus Butler, again swapped Ladder 1 and 5’s quarters. Ladder 1 returned to
Central where it had originally been in 1867, and Ladder 5 (Hayes truck) returned to 99 India Street.
February 11, 1924 – Ladder 1 was motorized with a new American LaFrance city service ladder and chemical combination truck.
November 10, 1924 – Ladder 1 moved into the new Central Fire Station, built behind the old 1867 Central, in the center of the block. Ladder 5, Engines 1, 5 and Chemical 1 also relocated to Central.
October 15, 1925 – Ladder 1 became a permanent company (Callman J. Haley transferred to L-5).
1945 – L-1 received a new Seagrave 65-foot steel, three-section aerial ladder truck with booster pump.
April 22, 1947 – A two-way radio was installed in Ladder 1 by the fire alarm division.
1957 – Another new Seagrave ladder truck (75-foot) went into service as Ladder 1 (1945 truck to L-3).
1970 – Ladder 1 was assigned a new American LaFrance articulating 80-foot aerial tower with bucket.
February 23, 1979 – Central Fire Station was closed because of budget problems, and Ladder 1 and Engine 5 were relocated to the Munjoy Hill Station, quarters of Engine 1.
1980 – Ladder 1 was reassigned L-4’s 1977 100-foot ladder truck (L-1’s aerial tower to L-4).
1987 – Central Station reopened, and Engine 5 and Rescue 1 moved back. Because of pressure from Munjoy Hill citizens to keep the ladder truck on the hill, Ladder Co. 1 remained there with Engine Co.1.
1989 – Ladder 1 was reassigned L-6’s 1978 Ward/Maxim 100-foot ladder truck.
July 9, 1993 – A new Pierce Arrow 4-door cab 85-foot snorkel truck went into service as Ladder 1.
April 6, 2017 – Ladder 1 was assigned a new Seagrave 100-foot aerial ladder quint truck.
July 9, 2019 – Ladder 1 became a Quint Fire Company, as Engine Co. 1 was decommissioned.
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