Peekskill fire unit to mark 180 years

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Peekskill fire unit to mark 180 years

By BRIAN J. HOWARD

bjhoward@lohud.com

THE JOURNAL NEWS

(Original publication: June 9, 2006)

PEEKSKILL — Once, when a call came down from Poughkeepsie for help with a massive fire, Columbian Engine Company volunteers sent their 1826 hand pumper north on a railroad car.

"That was mutual aid the hard way," company Chief John Pappas said of 19th- century firefighting. "I give the guys credit back in those days to pull that thing through the streets of Peekskill because it's not that easy."

The wooden Piano Box fire carriage was built the same year that 30 volunteers who had grown weary of bucket brigades at fire scenes formed what today is the oldest of Peekskill's six fire companies.

When Columbian Engine Company was formed on June 8, 1826, John Quincy Adams was president, and the newly formed village of Peekskill was hardly more than a riverfront trading post with a burgeoning stoveworks.

Tonight, 80 volunteers, associate members and family will gather at Cortlandt Colonial restaurant to celebrate Columbian Engine's 180th anniversary.

Five years ago, the department marked the anniversary with a parade, a dinner and fireworks. The plan since then has been for more subdued celebrations, at least until the 200th anniversary.

"I absolutely think the credit goes to the members to be able to sustain such a vital service over the years," Peekskill Fire Chief James Howard said, "especially when volunteerism is extremely difficult for us to maintain."

Brian Lennox, 65, was a letter carrier when he joined Columbian Engine in 1965. He's a member to this day, even though he moved to Fishkill in 1998.

Lennox recalled the fires of the late 1960s and '70s that leveled much of the downtown, including the Silver Lake Dairy and the Nelson and Marti building fires of 1968. There was also the New Year's Day 1969 blaze on Main Street that claimed five lives.

"That was the craziest time," Lennox said. "We used to spend hours at the firehouse waiting for the alarms to come in."

One of the reasons for Columbian Engine's longevity is that, like Peekskill's other departments, it is a family affair.

There are at least six legacies among Columbian Engine's membership, including the Pappas family. The chief's father and nephew are members, and his brother is a captain in Montrose.

First Lt. Bill Clark, 22, joined four years ago, following the example of his grandfather, father and uncle. His first major call as an officer was the fire that destroyed the Peekskill Shopping Center in December 2004.

"It's a lot of commitment," Clark said. "But if you really want it, it's worth it. A lot of volunteers and career guys in Peekskill, they really want it."