The town of Lenox still owns the first five pieces of fire equipment it ever purchased.
Four are in mint condition, according to Selectman William “Smitty†Pignatelli: an 1873 Amoskeag Steamer from Detroit; a 1910 American LaFrance Hose and Chemical Automobile, with the serial No. 1: the first motorized vehicle LaFrance ever made; a 1911 horse-drawn ladder truck; and a 1932 Stuart 500 GPM Pumper. The fifth is a 1924 LaFrance 750 gallon-per-minute pumper, hose and ladder truck, which needs repair.
The 1924 pumper truck was taken out of service in 1957 and sold to Eastover Resort. Eastover has now offered it back to the town.
Until now, a group of 10 or 12 volunteer firemen have paid out of their own pockets to keep the other four vehicles in good condition, said Tim Kane. Kane has been a volunteer fire fighter for 23 years. They just recently paid to fix the wheels on the 1911 ladder wagon, Pignatelli said.
About four months ago, two or three Lenox volunteer fireman, led by Kane, approached Pignatelli and got him interested. Pignatelli estimated the renovation to the 1924 pumper truck would run from $75,000 to $100,000. The group has since grown to about 20 members, and also hopes to establish an endowment to care for all five trucks in the future.
The 1924 LaFrance truck is unique, Kane explained, because it has several modifications that were ahead of their time when they were first made. The fire chief at the time, Oscar Hutchinson, was a truck builder and mechanic. He knew the fire truck had to be able to handle mountain roads. He increased the capacity of the radiator, to keep the truck from overheating on the hills. He replaced the spoke wheels with sturdier solid wheels. LaFrance did not introduce many of these changes until 1927. It is a big truck too, Kane said: fire trucks now only pump 1,000 to 1,500 gallons per minute.
He thinks the campaign will do well, he said, especially after Sept. 11. People have a reawakened respect for fire fighters today. He said the firemen who kept these vehicles going in the past should really be thanked.
The Lenox Volunteer Fire Department has taken the 1910 truck to shows across the country: Indianapolis this year, Connecticut, and Pennsylvania. They drive it in the Lenox and Lee parades. Pignatelli said he believed the 1910 fire truck is the only 1910 LaFrance Pumper still in existence. LaFrance is now based in North Carolina, and would love to have the 1910 truck back for its museum there.
Pignatelli said the Lenox Fire Antique Apparatus Association has collected some funding already, $400 or $500, from the weekend of Apple Squeeze, when they held a press conference to kick off the fund drive. They will also begin a direct mail campaign in Lenox, and reach out to people who may be interested, especially firefighters throughout the country. He can see pancake breakfasts and other fund-raisers on the horizon. “These guys are really into it: they believe in it,†he said.
They would also like to display all five fire trucks. The Steamer and Ladder Wagon are now in the Eastover Heritage Room. the 1910 truck lives in a private garage, since it was displaced from the town hall during the recent renovations. The 1924 truck has moved from Eastover to a volunteer firefighters’ yard. A gentleman in town has now donated space for it. The 1932 Stewart is in the Lenox Dale firehouse. In an ideal world, Pignatelli said, they would love to have somewhere to house them all together.
At least the fire department can let them march in parades, as animated living history.
Upcoming
Berkshire Sanctuaries is hosting a series of expeditions into Massachusetts Audubon Society sanctuaries that are rarely open to the public Ñ Rutland Brook Wildlife Sanctuary, Mt. Everett Sanctuary, and Graves Farm Sanctuary, among others. Contact Pleasant Valley Wildlife Sanctuary, 637-0320, for more information.
Cranwell will be participating in the Golf for America Campaign to benefit the Red Cross for Sept. 11 Fund. Keith Lyford, director of the Cranwell Gold School, has announced that he and Assistant Director Sean Hanley will be giving private lessons on Oct.r 9, 10 and 12 at half the regular golf school rate. All proceeds from these lessons will be donated to the American Red Cross’s Sept. 11 Fund to help disaster relief efforts for New York City. The PGA Northeastern Section, of which Cranwell Golf School is a member, has already donated $10,000 to the Red Cross effort. Appointments can be made through the golf school office at 637-8271.
Columbus Day Weekend
Over last week’s holiday, Lenox offered a full program. Ventfort Hall sponsored a fall tour of six historic Lenox cottages: Laurel Lake Cottage, built by relatives of John Singer Sargent; Groton Place, whose architects (Carrere and Hastings) also designed Bellefontaine, now Canyon Ranch; a 19th century schoolhouse of the former grounds of Stoneover; Orleton, built by Harley Proctor of Proctor and Gamble; and Foothill Farm.
The Junior League of Berkshire County held a wine tasting and silent auction at Seven Hills Inn on Plunkett Street, to benefit its community programs and scholarships.
MusicWorks, the new partnership of Richmond Performance Series and Berkshire Friends of Music, held its premiere concert in Shakespeare & Company’s Founder’s Theatre. Chris Turner, harmonica, and Jamie Somerville, Boston Symphony Orchestra principal French Horn, joined soprano Annette Betanki, pianist Ya-Fei Chuang and violist Mark Ludwig in concert.
Keith Lockhart, conductor of the Boston Pops, joined David Hoose and the Boston University Symphony Orchestra at Ozawa Hall, in a concert to benefit Berkshire Country Day School.
And The Mount was featured in Massachusetts Archaeology Week, offering free tours of specific aspects of the archaeology work done on the Lenox estate’s gardens, on Oct. 7.
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North Adams Awarded Grant to Support First Responder Health, Wellness
NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — The City of North Adams has been awarded a $15,000 grant from the Massachusetts Interlocal Insurance Association (MIIA) to support the health and wellness of local first responders through advanced, preventative medical screenings.
The grant will allow the City to offer comprehensive cardiac-focused health screenings to all North Adams Police and Fire personnel. The program goes beyond a standard annual physical and is designed to provide early insight into cardiovascular health risks commonly faced by Public Safety professionals.
Screenings will include advanced lipid and biomarker testing, along with personalized health consultations, delivered in partnership with Sigma Tactical Wellness, a nationally recognized provider specializing in first responder wellness.
"We know that a troubling percentage of officers die within ten years of retirement," said Mark Bailey, Chief of Police. "My priority is ensuring that our officers are healthy during their careers and well beyond them. This grant allows us to focus on early detection and long-term wellness so our officers can look forward to — and fully enjoy — their retirement."
Chief Brent Lefebvre, Fire Chief, echoed the importance of the program.
"Firefighters face elevated cardiovascular risks throughout their careers. This grant gives our members the opportunity to better understand their health and take preventative steps — at no cost to them — which ultimately strengthens our Department and the community we serve."
Participation in the program is voluntary, and all health information collected will remain strictly confidential.
Samuel Currence served his country in the Air Force with distinction, professionalism and unparalleled humility from 1962 to 1985, retiring as a technical sergeant. click for more
Many homeowners are showing their holiday spirit by decorating their houses. We asked for submissions so those in the community can check out these fanciful lights and decor when they're out.
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