Updated 5/14/12
Fire Department
A news account of January 17th, 1914 tells that several members of the fire department hauled stones for the foundation of their firehouse, which they intended to build next spring. The building was to be 18’ X 30.’ On Saturday, June 6th, 1914, Goll Brothers mason contractors put up the foundation for the firehouse. Eric Guenther assisted Sam Goll, Sr. in the project. Logs were donated and sawed into lumber. All the labor was donated. The building was on a parcel of land in Section 17 measuring 495’ X 52.5,’ owned by Alma Koch Sauter. The department purchased the land in 1939 (Vol 244 p 83-84, Register of Deeds records.)
The first dance sponsored by the department to raise funds was held July 11th, 1914 in Koch’s Hall. The dance provided $140. Baseball games between fire department teams were held on Sunday afternoons. Sale of refreshments benefited the home team.
The first department picnic was held on August 13th, 1915. It produced $339.43 for the treasury. Several more picnics and dances were held. By 1921, the department was able to buy a 1917 Jeffrey motorcar that they rebuilt into a fire truck. No photograph of it has been found, but one resident remembers that the vehicle had no roof or doors, and possibly not even a windshield. The Jeffrey Motor Car Company was founded in Kenosha, WI in 1901. Early models if the light, cheap twin cylinder front mounted engine earned a good reputation under the name “Rambler.” In 1914, the name of the car was changed to Jeffrey until 1917 when the company was taken over by Nash, and the Name was dropped.
Because the minute-books for the years 1920-1950 could not be located, it is regrettable that the names and accomplishments of the men who served the department in that period are not completely included in this history. Newspapers and memories were the sources for those years.
Newspapers of that time mention events at Koch’s Hall, music by Pat’s Hartford Cowboys, Eberle’s Beer garden with Lithia on tap and lunches served at all hours, Monroe Stahl cut ice from the lake to fill his icehouse. Chase and Sanborn coffee sold for $0.22 a pound.
The Beechwood Fire Department bought a 1938 Ford truck and built it into a fire truck. It was used until 1967. The department had a 500-gallon pumper, hoses and chemical tanks. Chemical tanks were especially important for fighting rural fires where there was not a reliable supply of water. In the early years, even whey-tank drivers would respond to a fire and contribute loads of whey to fight a fire.
In July of 1940, the department bought Koch’s grove south of hwy S in Section 16 (Vol. 244 pg 85) and began clearing it for a park so that picnics could be held there. An area was leveled to lay a wooden dance floor. It was two days of work t o set up the dance floor ever time it was used. It was an open-air dance floor, surrounded by snow fencing. Dancing was to the music of Herbert Buhk. Admission charge was $0.42 plus $0.08 tax. Read More