July 17, 2010 - Firemen's Parade

Montgomery Fire Department celebrates its 200th year with a firemen's parade

Montgomery Fire Department celebrates its 200th year with a fireman's parade Saturday, July 17th at 3:00 PM. Over 50 Fire Departments will participate as they march from the O.C. Airport to the Veteran's Memorial Park. The parade route will go down Union Street turn right on Boyd Street, turn left on Railroad Avenue, to Clinton Street, left onto Bridge Street to the park. After the parade there will be festivities in the park. The carnival will be operating from 12:00 noon to 10:00 PM.

Come visit the local shops in the village during the morning and enjoy lunch at one on the many local restaurants. Before the parade visit the Orange County Firefighters Museum on Clinton Street it will be open from 2:00 PM to 6:00 PM. The museum has many items of interest from most on the counties fire departments. Which include; helmets, uniforms, badges, equipment, pictures and various memorabilia. It is the site of the old Montgomery Fire Department where you can see the old fire pole and the old Montgomery jail.

At 8:00 PM at the Veteran's Memorial Park Bandstand the Fire Department will present the awards. The final event of the evening will be the Maybrook Boy Scout Band performing at 9:30 PM to an unbelievable fireworks display.

For more information go to www.montgomeryfirerescue.com.

Photo Above: This view of Ward Street dates from the turn of the century and features the Firemen’s Parade. The largest building with the three story porch was owned by Daniel Alanson Shafer and was called Shafer’s Wallkill Hotel dating from about 1820.

This was the original site of the Widow Smith’s Tavern, which was moved to 71 Union Street when the Federal style Shafer Hotel was to be built. The two buildings next to the hotel were the carriage house and livery stable which were built in 1888 when Shafer served as the Village President (Wild’s Service Station now occupies the site). The gable house next to the livery stable still stands today.