The Athol Firefighters Association is in the process of raising $20,000 to repair a 1920 Seagrave fire truck which served the town for years. “The truck responded to fires in town from the 1920s to the 1950s,” according to Captain Eric Jack of the Athol Fire Department and a member of the association, which is a non-profit organization separate from the Fire Department.
The 1920 fire truck served in the downtown station, carrying ground ladders that would be taken off the vehicle and placed against a building. It did not carry any hose, according to Jack. “To the best of my knowledge, in 1941 we received our first aerial ladder truck and the 1920 ladder truck then was used at the uptown station for close to another 10 years,” Jack said. As for the differences between the 1920 fire truck and modern-day fire trucks he replied, “It’s like going from a horse and buggy to a modern car.”
After the Seagrave was retired from service, it was sold to private citizens. “Sometime in the early 1970s, the association bought it back and restored it in time for the Bicentennial Celebration in town. They restored the body, repainted the truck, polished the brass and repainted the gold leaf. They made the truck look new again,” Jack said.
Currently, the truck needs work on its motor, which is still the original 1920 engine. “It is believed that although something in the motor seized, it is not beyond repair, Jack stated. Funds raised will be used to send the truck to Gaspers Automotive Restoration in Manchester, Conn., which specializes in restoration and repair of that type of vintage fire truck, Jack said. “It ran up until two years ago… It never ran reliably so we were always leery of taking it too far,” Jack said. In the past, the truck has been used in parades, and once repaired the association hopes to display it at car shows and other community events. “We hope to use it more than we did in the past,” Jack said.
Along with the mechanical work the Seagrave needs, the association is also looking for a more permanent home where the truck can be worked on. It is currently stored at the old downtown fire station. “We are hoping someone can find space that is heated where we could work on the truck,” Jack said, adding that one of the difficulties of finding a new location is that the truck is 45 feet long. The association also owns a vintage hand pumper.
To raise the needed money for the truck’s repairs, the Firefighters Association is selling T-shirts with the 1920 Seagrave Ladder Truck depicted on it. The cost of the T-shirts is $25 for sizes small to extra-large, and $27 for XXL size. Those who would like to purchase a T-shirt or who may be interested in providing a location for the truck can contact Jack at ejack@townofathol.org.
Carla Charter is a freelance writer from Phillipston. Her writing focuses on history with a particular interest in the history of the North Quabbin area. Contact her at cjfreelancewriter@earthlink.net.