FDNY / Wandowenock

This came up on Ebay:

"This is a fireman's exempt badge from Newtown, Long Island, New York. Newtown was a town in Queens County, NY before Queens became a part of NYC in 1898. Newtown was renamed Elmhurst in 1896. Exempt was frequently part of the title of volunteer fire companies in this area because the firemen were exempt from jury duty and possibly other things. The badge is embossed metal with a laurel leaf motif. It measures approximately 2 1/2" by 1 5/8". It probably originally had a golden finish, but just a trace of the gilding remains. It reads "Town of Newtown,L.I. Exempt" and the original threaded pin nut reads: "C. G. Braxmar Co. 10 Maiden Lane NY". The company still is in business today at another address!"


It went for $142.57

I believe this was worn on their hats.

FDNY / Wandowenock

Steam pumper of the Wandowenock Engine Company #1 in front of its house on the West side of Broadway opposite Justice Avenue about 1910. All the local volunteer companies went out of business in 1913 and were replaced by a paid city fire department.

Elmhurst: from town seat to mega-suburb - Vincent J. Seyfried

FDNY / Wandowenock

Wandowenock charter I missed on Ebay

FDNY / Elmhurst Eagles

Let us not forget the "Elmhurst Eagles" of Engine 287 and Ladder 136. They reside at 86-53 Grand Avenue and are Elmhurst's first responders

FDNY / Wandowenock

The Wandownock Volunteer Fire Company began in 1843, composed of men from land owning families; only in the 1880s did German and Irish names appear on it's roster.

The Future of us all by Roger Sanjek

FDNY / Wandowenock

Two photos from the Hansen family tree page.
The sign on the wagon reads 'Hook and Ladder made by hand in Newtown in 1854 by a Newtown man out of hickory grown in Newtown - was run to fires in Newtown for fifty years'

Hansen family

FDNY / Wandowenock

queenspix.com

Excempt Firemen's Building December 31, 1929 #Elm084

Shot available from Queenspix showing a wider view than the postcard

the site today

FDNY / Wandowenock

86-22 Broadway
Volunteer fire company Engine 1 established 09/01/1843
Ladder one established in 1890
Both replaced by paid FDNY units on 09/01/1913

FDNY / Wandowenock

Photo is of a weather vane that was on top of a fire house in Newtown L.I. (which is now Elmhurst) for almost 100 years. The Museum at the Firemen's Home in Hudson has just received this for their collection. Shown is Sam Kilmer, native of Hudson, putting the finishing touches on the weather vane. - Albany Times Union

Firefighting Museum