New Sharon, IA
New Sharon, IA
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Mayor Jeff Long
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Fire & Rescue
1872In the early fall of 1872 a definite need for a structured Fire Department was realized. That was immediately after the local hardware store owned by H.T. Wright, burned to the ground.
1927In 1927 a building existed that housed several shops. At first there was a grocery store and then a restaurant. It was located on current site of the Capri Movie Theatre which is along the north side of the block just east of the main intersection of Main and Market streets.
1958In 1958 the Fire Department purchased an old panel delivery truck at a cost of $300 from a local man named Harley Robinson. This panel truck would become the Departments very first ambulance.

History from 1927- 1957

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1927

In 1927 a building existed that housed several shops. At first there was a grocery store and then a restaurant. It was located on the current site of the Capri Movie Theatre which is along the north side of the block just east of the main intersection of Main and Market streets. The next building to the east, nested between it and the alley, was the two story building that housed both the Fire Department and City Hall. The Fire Department was above and City Hall was below. Eventually all of these buildings would catch fire and were replaced with what exists their today. The Fire Department was moved to a new location in the City Park building along with the City Library chambers, Mayor’s Office, a crude 2-cell jail as well as the City Shop.

1929

In 1929 the Fire Department purchased a Model ‘A’ Ford truck with a 500 gallon pump, the truck carried 250 gallons of water.

1933

In 1933, located on the southeast corner of North Main and East High street (where the current car wash is located) there was a two-story boarding house where children used to stay while they were attending school in New Sharon. This building eventually burned down, no further information is available at this time to indicate the circumstances of that fire.

1940’s

In the early 1940’s the Fire Department purchased a used 1941 Chevrolet pickup and mounted a front-side pump with a 250 gallon tank attached to the back. This equipment would be classified today as New Sharon Fire & Rescues first brush buggy.

1950

In the early 1950’s the Department purchased the first new fire gear for the firemen which included rain coats, helmets, and boots.

1951

Around mid-November, 1951 a giant hanging spike of ice (icicle) began forming along one side of the old wooden water tower. This icicle was reported to have measured around 16 feet at the base and was 104 feet tall. It is said that the City of New Sharon hired an engineer for $300 to advise them on what should be done with this icicle. Apparently the engineer told them to let ‘Mother Nature’ take care of it and not attempt to remove it themselves. Well, as the story goes, around January 2, 1952 that old wooden water tower came crashing down along the east side of the City Park building which knocked the east wall down and flooded everything in it’s path. The damage necessitated a new fire truck to be purchased, it didn’t arrive until Tuesday, June 17, 1952. A special fire truck body, built by the Darley Company, was mounted on the new International truck. The purchase of a new fire truck and a new water tank wagon was made possible through the sale of Certificates which were purchased by area farmers who were within the New Sharon Fire Department’s protection radius.

1958

1958 Fire Department Officers included: Chief – Clifford Knowler, Assistant Fire Chief – Fred Thompson, and two Captains – Kenneth Wimer and Elmer Klinzman.

 

1990In the 1990’s the Fire Department purchased several different trucks through voluntary donations and various Grant’s as well as finances provided through the City of New Sharon.
2010In the year of 2010 New Sharon’s Fire & Rescue Squad sent 4 of their members to Carroll, Iowa to assist in the cleanup of storm damage, they were joined by two members two members of the Oskaloosa Fire Department, Oskaloosa, Iowa.

(c) 2023 New Sharon, IA

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