"When Watch Hill Fire Chief Walter H. Nash returned to his home on
Oct. 19, 1916, he was mentally and physically exhausted. The east wing
of the New Watch Hill House - then the premier hotel in the community
with more than 100 guest rooms - had caught fire, and gale force winds
spread the flames quickly through the village, decimating the community.
"Nash,
who was the grandson of hotel owner Winslow Nash, slumped down at his
kitchen table and proclaimed, 'It's gone; It's all gone,' before falling
asleep.
"Standing in front of 'Alfie' on Tuesday, Carol Potter smiled as she
viewed the 1917 American LaFrance triple combination pumper truck that
helped change the face of firefighting in Watch Hill. Potter, the
granddaughter of Walter Nash, described the moment as 'bittersweet,'
noting that the truck brought back a lot of emotions regarding her
family's history, both good and bad. . . .
"The truck was on display as part of a historical
presentation at the Watch Hill Fire Department, a program that helped
bring Westerly's first pumper truck back to town in honor of its 100th
birthday. It was the truck's first visit to the department since it was
sold to Groton Long Point in 1966."
A recent article in The Westerly Sun reported on the restoration of the 1917 American LaFrance engine and its return to the community that it once served (Watch Hill is a village in the town of Westerly, RI).
To access the complete Westerly Sun report, please visit:
The Westerly Sun: Faithfully restored 1917 firetruck holds a special place in Watch Hill history (2 AUG 18)
Background information:
Watch Hill Fire Department
Watch Hill Fire District
Wikipedia: Watch Hill, Rhode Island
Wikipedia: Westerly, Rhode Island
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