Restaurant Burns During Busy Night at NC State Fair, October 1964

On Tuesday night, October 13, 1964, a restaurant building at the fairgrounds was destroyed during a busy night at the North Carolina State Fair. Thousands were attending the fair, and watched with rapt attention as “portable” restaurant was consumed by flames. The $100,000 structure was a loss, and the blaze likely inspired the creation of …

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Wake County Rural Fire Protection Progress Report – 1956 to 1957

From a report received around June 1, 1957, and probably covering the prior fiscal year. Rural fire departments established in ten communities in Wake County: Zebulon Apex Cary Garner Fuquay-Varina Morrisville Knightdale Wake Forest Six Forks Wendell. Others are in the process of organizing, and some are about ready to begin purchasing equipment. These departments …

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Mapping the Original Locations of the Six Forks Fire Department

Diagram of the first original locations of the Six Forks Fire Department. They were organized in 1956, and incorporated on June 5.  Their first fire engine was a 1956 Ford/American/Barton pumper housed in a converted barn behind Howell’s Store at 4129 Six Forks Road. The structure was begin used as such by September 1956. Their …

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Wake County Fire History – Closures & Mergers

For your Sunday evening enjoyment, here’s a grab bag of historical bits, about fire station closures and fire department mergers in Raleigh and Wake County. There have been but a handful of note. Closures (Not counting station re-locations within 2.5 miles) 1960 – Western Boulevard FD 1982 – Wake Forest FD #2 ca. 1992 – …

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The First Meeting of the Wake County Fire Commission – November 24, 1998

Digging through the early years of the Wake County Fire Commission this morning. They were created as an advisory board in 1998, as a recommendation of a 1994 fire service study, and supplanted the Wake Council Fire Chief’s Council, which previously served that role. They discussed such things as: Meeting dates, time, and location. Role …

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Vintage Magazine Ad with Kenly’s 1944 Ford/Oren

Found for sale on eBay, vintage magazine advertisement showing 1944 Ford/Oren pumper. Built by the Oren Fire Apparatus Company of Roanoke, VA. Click to enlarge: The truck was the second fire engine operated by the Johnston County town. It later served the Brookville (?) Fire Department, and was later privately owned in Iowa. It was …

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Vintage Photos of Durham Engine 4, Engine 6

Found for sale on eBay, two 35mm slide scans. (One is darker due to underexposure during scanning, most likely.) Original photographer credit unknown. Left is old Engine 4, a 1997 E-One Cyclone II, 1250/500. Right is old Engine 6, a 1990 Duplex D-500/E-One, 1250/500. Readers can check/correct my data. Here’s a Legeros Blog Fire Archives …

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Warrenton Fire Department’s 60th Anniversary Ball – Saturday, October 22

News from our friends to the north. Commemorating six decades of service to the Town of Warrenton, the Central Warren Fire District, and surrounding communities, the Warrenton Rural Volunteer Fire Department is hosting a formal Firefighters Ball on Saturday, October 22, 2016, from 7:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. at Warren County Armory Civic Center, 501 …

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Kannapolis Fire Department 100th Anniversary Parade, Open House – Saturday, October 1

The Kannapolis Fire Department in Cabarrus County is celebrating its 100th anniversary this year. To commemorate the event, the public is invited to an open house and parade on Saturday, October 1. The parade begins at 10:00 a.m. at the intersection of Laureate Way and Biotechnology Lane, and will continue down Laureate to North Research …

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Fire Trucks at War on Facebook – Cherry Point Crash Trucks

One of my favorite fire apparatus sites is the Facebook group Fire Trucks at War. Anything and everything related to military fire apparatus. Its run by military fire historian Ted Heinbuch, who runs the web site of the same name: www.firetrucks-atwar.com. North Carolina military fire apparatus appears fairly frequently, typically posted by Pete Brock, our …

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