Heffernan points out the James Grahams’ lavish meeting room which was upstairs in their fire house on Washington Avenue just north of Elm.
West Haven Fire Department Historian Bill Heffernan presented at a recent Rotary meeting at Lorenzo’s restaurant, the topic was the acquisition and refurbishment of the James Graham’s Hook & Ladder model ladder wagon. The model was hand made by the members of the James Graham Company in the 1890’s. It is a scale model of the company’s actual piece of apparatus and was pulled by the member’s children in parades and at conventions.
“The children had uniforms to match their father’s and were well known through the area,” said Heffernan. “The James Grahams disbanded in 1902 and with them went all their records and equipment. The model was missing and presumed lost to history for 120 years when we found it. It was in terrible shape but we sent to an expert in fire apparatus refurbishment. He spent a year and a half working on it with his team.”
The Rotary meeting was the model’s first public appearance but hopefully not it’s last.
“We plan on putting on more presentations for the public.” said Heffernan. “We look forward to setting up several events, so keep an eye out. We will certainly publicize these events ahead of time.”
Because the James Grahams have been out of business for so long it has been difficult to find and artifacts or information on them. If anyone has any of the company’s old records or items the WHFD Historical Library would love to take a look at them. You can contact them at [email protected].
Hi Bill, I remember that, as children, we carefully climbed on fire apparatus in the barn on the northwest corner of Court Street and Campbell Avenue. This was adjacent to my grandmother (Richards) house. One piece looked like the model you have on exhibit, but wasn’t as ornate. It would have been horse drawn, and held some sort of pipes on both sides. That would have been in the early 1940s and I’ve always wondered if it is still around, was it given to another fire department, etc.
Carole A. Laydon McElrath, Immed. Past Pres, WH Historical Society; Cofounder, Ward- Heitmann Museum and Foundation; author “West Haven”, “West Haven Revisited”