History:

Proudly serving the Village of Brockport, Town of Sweden and Town of Clarkson since 1877.

Our history dates back to 1832 when the village purchased a hand pumper from the firm of John Proctor and National Hydraulic Co. of Proctorsville, VT, for the sum of $450. The new engine was assigned to the Water Witch Engine Co. 1 on May 1, 1832. Another engine was purchased in 1834 and the Conqueror Engine Co. 2 was organized. Engine houses were constructed in the village and their exact locations are still unknown today. In 1845 a new village hall was constructed on King Street housing the engine companies and the Spartan Hook and Ladder Co. 1, later renamed the Empire Hook and Ladder Co. 1.

During the Civil War the fire companies disbanded, reorganized and then disbanded again. Votes in the village to purchase new fire equipment were defeated several times, but finally the purchase of a used hand pumper was procured from one of the old Rochester, NY, fire companies (a Selye & Porter New York Style Pumper manufactured in Rochester) and assigned to the Conqueror Engine Co. 2. When this company disbanded for the last time, the hand pumper was stored in a barn in the village, but then the inevitable happened. A major fire on January 12, 1877 destroyed both sides of Market St. During this fire the unused, old Selye & Porter hand pumper was pulled out of the barn and put into action. Unable to contain the fire on its own, a steamer was called from the city of Rochester via railroad flatcar.

After that fire, $6,600 worth of bonds were purchased from the Powers Banking Firm in Rochester, which enabled the village to purchase a Hook and Ladder from SM Stewart Co. Manufacturers in Rochester, NY, and also from the Silsby Manufacturing Co. in Seneca Falls, NY, one steam fire engine, two hose reels and fire hose. The steamer was a demonstrator at the World's Fair in Philadelphia at the great Hall of Machines when the nation celebrated our centennial in 1876.

With the purchase of fire equipment, the Byron E. Huntley Steamer Co. 1, Silsby Hose Co. 1, LJ Pease Hose Co. 2 (which disbanded in 1882 and reorganized that same year as the Harrison Hose Co. 2) and the CD Dewey Hook and Ladder Co. 1, fire companies were formed. A group of men from the Johnston Harvester Co. on N. Main Street approached the village board and offered to refurbish the old Selye Hand Pumper and also build an engine house next to their company thus forming the Thomas Cornes Engine and Hose Co. 3. IN July, 1877, the Protectives were organized and housed on Monroe Avenue where the Catholic rectory now stands. The steamer, hose cart #2 and hook and ladder were housed in the village hall on Kings St. The Silsby Hose constructed a hose cart and repair room off Clinton St.

With the fire companies organized with modern equipment, they now faced the biggest fire in Brockport's history. On June 22-23, 1882, the Johnston Harvester Co. went up in flames, destroying most of the buildings including the Engine Co. 3. The fire started at N. Main Street and Clark Street, jumped across the foot bridge to N. Main Street and Liberty Street. That fire cost $500,000 worth of damage and put 450 men out of work. All equipment worked for two days including the old Selye Hand Pumper that was housed at the Johnston Harvester Company. It was pulled to safety and pumped for two straight days along with another steamer from Rochester, again brought in via railway. With such destruction, the Johnston Harvester Co. chose not to rebuild in Brockport, but to relocate to Batavia, NY.

The new three-story brick village building and fire department headquarters was constructed on Market Street in 1884 housing all of the fire companies. In 1971 this three-story building was torn down and new headquarters were built, now housing the the CD Dewey Hook and Ladder Co. 1, Harrison Hose Co. 2, Silsby Hose Co. 1 and the Ambulance Corp, which was organized in 1962. In 1893 the Thomas Cornes Engine and Hose Co.3 was disbanded and the Capen Hose Co. 4 was accepted into the department. The first Capen Hose house was built next to the railroad on South Main Street and in 1905 the present hose house was built in the triangle at S. Main St. and Park Avenue. The Capen Hose Co. purchased the first motorized piece of fire equipment in 1915 and agreed to cover calls outside the village. In 1967 a fire house was constructed north of the canal at West Avenue and Caroline Drive, housing the Protectives.

Today the Brockport Fire Department covers 92 square miles including the Village of Brockport, Town of Sweden and Town of Clarkson. Equipment runs out of four houses. Station One (fire headquarters on Market Street), Station Two (Lake Road North, Town of Clarkson), Station Three (West Avenue) and Station Four (S. Main Street). Station Two was the first house in the department to be constructed outside the village limits and was dedicated in 2000. The first Ladies Auxiliary organized January 5, 1922, Fire Police Squad organized in 1954 and Firematic Explorer Post 623 organized September 1973 have added greatly to our fire community. Without their expertise in their individual fields, our fire department could not run as smoothly as it does. We applaud all the men and women who give so freely of their time and for their families who share them with us.

In 1967, the Capen Hose Co. 4 started a fire museum consisting of antique displays from all over the country. One local antique is a leather fire bucket donated by William H. Seymour, an early founder of Brockport, and dates back to 1825. It was used to protect the now village hall (then the Seymour House and later the Seymour Library on State Street). Also on display are three types of fire pumps that were manufactured world wide" the piston pump in a 1847 Selye & Porter Hand Pumper that was completely restored in 1998; a centrifugal pump in a 1930 Seagrave Motorized Pumper that was completely restored in 1978; and a rotary gear pump in a 1876 Silsby Steamer Pumper, which is under the monumental task of restoration, started in 2001. These are just a few of the hundreds of artifacts on display, which we hope you will come and enjoy.

Our museum is dedicated to the men and women who have formed our past and present and to the future generations who will enjoy learning about the firefighting profession.