Hopedale History February 1, 2015 No. 269 Fire Truck Parade, Muster, 1986 Hopedale in January History of the Community Bible Chapel
The Grafton & Upton Railroad Milford yard by Gordon E. Hopper Website additions during the past two weeks include: The Fire Station Bell (An article written 20 years after its removal, with a bit more of its history.) Charles Stewart (Article titled "Hopedale 'Dead Man' Returns" added.) Thomas Woodrow Wilson (Article on his death in the Philippines during World War II.) Marshall Clark (Obituary for Marshall added to a page of his memories of growing up in Hopedale.) West Street Dam/Mill Pond (The dam has disappeared) Deaths <><><><><><><><><><> Twenty-five years ago - February 1990 - The Communist Party of the Soviet Union votes to end its monopoly of power, clearing the way for multiparty elections. Nelson Mandela is released from prison after 27 years behind bars. An agreement is reached for a two-stage plan to reunite Germany. The Pale Blue Dot photograph of Earth is sent back from the Voyager 1 probe. Fifty years ago - February 1965 - Ranger 8 crashes into the Moon, after a successful mission of photographing possible landing sites for the Apollo program astronauts. Malcolm X is assassinated in New York City. Hopedale articles from 25 and 50 years ago can be seen below the text box. <><><><><><><><><><> Fire Truck Parade and Fireman's Muster By Virginia Cyr Daily News Staff The numbers 1886 sounded on the fire alarm system here Saturday at noon and signaled the start of Hopedale's centennial fire truck parade and fireman's muster. The assorted sounds from the various sirens on the apparatus could be heard all over town as the vehicles moved over the parade route that covered more than five miles. Fire Chief Donald Moore and his wife, Norma, and Deputy Chief Rolland Morin and his wife, Doris, all riding in Moore's car, led the vehicles over the parade route The event began at Draper Field which was the center of activities. When the parade route had been covered, the apparatus was parked at Draper Field where a number of interested people took the opportunity to examine the trucks and equipment at close range. "KCE," a five-month old Dalmatian, the symbolic dog associated through the years as a firefighter's mascot, made his first appearance in a parade, riding in Milford's ladder truck. owned by Milford firefighter Patrick J. Lapan, KCE got an abundance of attention from young and old alike. At Draper Field, apparatus from visiting towns was judged in a variety of categories. Winning the trophy for the oldest truck in service was a 1935 Ford pumper owned by the Town of Douglas. Holliston's 1986 Farrar pumper which was acquired on June 27 took the trophy for the newest piece of apparatus on parade. The trophy for the vehicle with the best appearance went to Blackstone's 1986 F.M.C. pumper. The 1986 L.M.I. vehicle, with a 105 foot rear mounted aerial ladder owned by the Town of Franklin took the trophy for best ladder truck. The best antique vehicle trophy went to the 1926 Maxim pumper, formerly owned by the Town of Holliston, but now privately owned. The Town of Bourne received the trophy for the department traveling the furthest. Bourne sent two vehicles; one a brush fire truck and the other, a Maxim pumper. Judges for the apparatus awards were all retired fire chiefs and included John DePaolo of Milford, Walter Stank of Upton, Linwood Lowell of Mendon, Vincent Thayer of Bellingham and Charles Watson of Hopedale. The muster events produced an abundance of activity, cheering an enjoyment as teams from the towns of Franklin, Upton, Millis, Medway, East Brookfield, North Brookfield and Milford competed. Millis, with a time of 20 seconds won the wet hose event. Upton, with a time of 20.25 seconds took second place, and Medway, with a time of 21 seconds took third place. Winner of the salvage event was North Brookfield. Milford finished second, and third place went to Millis. The mystery event was taken by North Brookfield, with Milford coming in second and Millis third. The trophy for the team with the most goofs went to Franklin. East Brookfield was awarded the best sportsmanship trophy. Judges were Rolland Morin, Jack Cutter, Bob Barrows, David Carchio and David Durgin. Sandwiches, hot dogs, hamburgers, tacos, soda, coffee , pastries and beef were available at the field throughout the afternoon. Members of the parade committee included chairman Thomas Daige, who was assisted by David Durgin, Charles Gaffney, Ken Spindola, Ken Crowther and David Bliss. The muster committee was headed by Michael McGann. He was assisted by Ken Spindola, Shawn Moran and John Kampersal. Kevin Alger was chairman of the concession committee and he was assisted by Dave Pendleton and John Johnson. Daige estimated that well over 2,000 people viewed the parade and muster events. Milford Daily News, June 28, 1986 A video of the muster and fire truck parade that I put on YouTube in 2011 has received over 34,000 hits. Here's a link to it. For more of Hopedale in 1986, here's the centennial parade - Part 1 Part 2 If you're looking for familiar faces, you're most likely to find them in the earlier minutes of Part 1 (taken on Mendon Street, a little east of the Hopedale Street intersection), and the end of Part 2, starting at the 19 minute point (taken on Hopedale Street, between Freedom and Chapel). More newspaper articles on the 1986 muster and parade, and also on a fire truck parade in Hopedale in 1976. Fire Department History Ezine Menu HOME |
February 4, 1964 |
Yes, rather fuzzy. That's because they're screenshots from a home move taken of the 1986 fireman's muster. There are more of them at the bottom of this page, down below the news clippings. Near the bottom of the text box below, there are links to the video of the parade and muster, and also of the Hopedale Centennial parade. |
