Beltsville in Prince George's County, Maryland — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)
Beltsville Volunteer Fire Department, Inc. and Ladies Auxiliary
Founders Honor Roll
Photographed by Devry Becker Jones (CC0), November 23, 2024
1. Beltsville Volunteer Fire Department, Inc. and Ladies Auxiliary Marker
Daniel P. Corrigan Pierce M. Damewood M.H. Davis James A. Fitzgerald A.F. Forrester Curtis B. Forrester John T. Gaffney Richard Goehring Preston Gregory Louis C. Hemmstra C.R. Horton Robert J. Huston Fred C. Knauer Charles J. Kremann Wiliam Kreman
David C. Lee Howard M. Mabry Robert D. Mahoney Otto J. Meyers Nolan P. Miller Lawrence J. O'Dea Melville H. Peters Fred T. Ridgeway Harold R. Schomer John D. Smith Paul C. Underwood Henry C. Vaught Sam Williams Roy L. Wood
Sylvia Fitzgerald Jessie Forrester
Beatrice Gaffney Ethel Gedeon Myra
this page online
Wilma Lee Hilda Mahoney Edith Rauch Matilda Rees Vivian Ridgeway Genevieve Rogers Joan Rogers Frances Stroup Lucille Swales Margaret Todd Ethel Wood Elsie Ziepolt Zelda Zimmerman
Decemeber 30, 1946
Erected by Beltsville Volunteer Fire Department, Inc. and Ladies Auxiliary.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Charity & Public Work. A significant historical date for this entry is December 30, 1946.
Location. 39° 2.317′ N, 76° 54.527′ W. Marker is in Beltsville, Maryland, in Prince George's County. It is on Prince Georges Avenue 0.1 miles west of Queen Anne Avenue, on the left when traveling west. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 4911 Prince Georges Avenue, Beltsville MD 20705, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in the Washington Metropolitan Area. It is also in the American South, specifically in the Upper South, and in the Mid-Atlantic. Globally, it is in the North Atlantic Region, North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once one of the original Thirteen Colonies and also the Antebellum South.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 3 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: Van Horns Tavern (approx. Ό mile away); Veterans Memorial (approx. 0.4 miles away); Site of Van Horn's Tavern (approx. Ύ mile away); Ebenezer Meeting House (approx. 1.1 miles away); Beltsville Agricultural Research Center - West
Another marker is no longer nearby. Ammendale Normal Institute (was approx. one mile away but has been permanently removed).
Also see . . . History of the Beltsville Volunteer Fire Department, Inc., page on the department's site. Excerpt from the page:
At the conclusion of World War II, the Civilian Defense groups were disbanded. The interest in local fire protection; however, still remained. From the time of discontinuing the Civilian Defense group until the summer of 1946, activities of the firefighters remained static. But the continued growth of this community, the response time concern, and the increased load which was thrown upon the fire departments of Branchville, Berwyn Heights, Laurel and other nearby localities pointed out the need for a local fire department.(Submitted on November 25, 2024, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia.)
The members of the original Civilian Defense group together with others (totaled 12 in number) who had become interested in this local need again got together and started a movementto organize a volunteer fire department which would eventually be brought under the Maryland State Firemans Association. A charter was applied for and the Beltsville Volunteer Fire Department was incorporated under the laws of the State of Maryland in January, 1947.Photographed by Devry Becker Jones (CC0), November 23, 20243. 48-star flag display inside of the Beltsville Fire Hall
The 48 Star Flag: On July 4, 1912 the U.S. flag grew to 48 stars with the addition of New Mexico on January 6, 1912 and Arizona on February 12, 1912. President Taft established the proportions of the flag on June 24, 1912 and provided for the arrangement of the stars in six horizontal rows of eight. This flag was the official flag of the United States until January 3, 1959 when Alaska was formally granted statehood. President Eisenhower placed the 49th star on the flag on that date.
The flag above, and in these photos, was found in a corner of the attic of this firehouse where it had been stored and forgotten for 60+ years. Workers found it while construction was being done in January 2020. This flag is a U.S. Naval Ensign #6 that is 9' Χ 17' with 48 stars.
Additional commentary.
1. About the marker
While most firefighter memorials do not serve as historical markers, this one does. It shares the entire founding crew of the volunteer fire department.
— Submitted November 25, 2024, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia.
Credits. This page was last revised on November 25, 2024. It was originally submitted on November 25, 2024, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. This page has been viewed 164 times since then and 18 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on November 25, 2024, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia.
