York Village & Corner Fire Department

York Village and Corner Fire Department. . , You are standing in a place with a magnificent view of the entrance to York Harbor and the Atlantic Ocean. Off to the right is the Stage Neck Inn. Slightly more to the right is the site of the original Marshall Hotel now occupied by the Stage Neck Colony which now consists of condominiums. , The formation of the York Village and Corner Fire Department was initiated following a catastrophic fire at the original Marshall House in 1916. Although historic records indicate the presence of a fire department hose cart at Sentry Hill Road and one horse cart at York Corner, the official beginning of the York Village and Corner Fire Department was due to the Marshall House fire which was so substantial. , The Department had its beginning under the stewardship of Chief Albert Newick, a resident of York harbor. The early beginnings included primitive firefighting equipment and the purchase of several lengths of fire hose from the Boston Hose Company. , Immediately following the Marshall House inferno, the “York Village and Corner Ever-ready Volunteer Fire Company” was established. Its first quarters were in a converted school house in York Village on the present day site of the York Village Fire Station. , Somewhere around 1923 the “York Village and Corner Ever-ready Volunteer Fire Company” was reorganized to be called the “York Volunteer Department”. , Membership in the early days was limited to men ages 21 and older and it is written that there was no trouble recruiting suitable candidates. It was speculated that it seemed that three quarters of the town’s eligible young men were becoming volunteer firefighters. , Early firefighters did their best with primitive equipment. The first fire engines ins believed to be a second hand Knox steam powered fire engine and some sort of early “ladder wagon.” The Knox was particularly unreliable and prone to not starting. The boiler was lit to power the fire pump but the tractor wouldn’t start and it had to be pushed out of the station, smoke belching from the smokestack. , In 1923 the fire department hired its first permanent firefighter, William Sullivan. He lived at the fire station taking care of the building and equipment and responding to fire alarms when they came in. William even made it to Fire Chief of the department before his passing in 1950. , Over the years the families of York provided generations of volunteer firefighters including the Ramsdell family. Charles Ramsdel, became the next paid fireman who lived in the station with his family. , The apparatus became more and more modern over the years as the department continued to grow with the community. The old wooden fire station which once was a school building was the site of many functions. In 1966, the department celebrated its 50th anniversary with a gala parade and muster. , The firemen purchased new apparatus and even built some of the tank trucks that would respond to fires and the surrounding communities. American LaFrance was a popular firefighting vehicle for York, and at one time, there were multiple firetrucks from this manufacturer in the station. , The “Redshirts” were formed by York Harbor residents as a benevolent group in support of the local volunteers. The colorful parade uniforms have graced many firemen’s parades.