Anamosa - A Reminiscence 1838 - 1988

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Anamosa Firemen honoredfor their service include.
from left. front row: John Westphal, 12 years; Don
Brady, 14: Bob Miller, 14: Nick Nassif. 13 and Bill
Rosencrans 12. Back row: Jack Byers, 17; Bob
Lincoln, 14; Russell Ellison, 10; and Chester Ellison,
the Anamosa Jaycees.
One proof of the dedication of the volunteer firemen is
the fact that there have only been 23 different chiefs
since the organization of the department in 1875.
The first fire chief in the history of the organized fire
department was J.H. Williams. Other chiefs were: W.A.
Cunningham. John I. VanNess, T.E. Watters. John D.
Cudworth. Bob Giltrap. D.A. "Bud" Downing. Ed Lowe.
George Walker, Miles Landis, Jim Porter, C. G.
“Curley" Schuchman, Ray Carroll and E.W. Corwin.
W.H. “Red” Chipman. Chris Conrad, Guy Taylor and
Bill Dorgeloh, Bob Lincoln, Bob Miller, Don Brady.
Keith Vernon and Ivan Eden.
The members of the fire department in 1987, and
their years in service are: Lyle Russell. (who retired for
a time and came back on the department), 40; Don
Brady, 36; Robert Lincoln, 35; Nick Nassif. 35: Bill
Rosencrans. 33; Chet Ellison, 31; Henry Caspers. 30;
Milt Meeks. 27; Gerhard Kray, 27; Ivan Eden. 25;
George Campbell, 24; Buddy Downing, 23; Laverne
LaBarge, 19: Larry Denniston, 17: Keith Hanna, 17;
Keith Vernon. 15: Larry Hansen. 13: Randy Byers, 12:
Jack Dietiker, 12: Bill Dietiker, 10; Al Strother, 10;
Mike McGrevy, 10: Colin Dorman, seven; Tim Watters,
10. The men were honored at a banquet at the
Anamosa Country Club. Each was presented a pin
and small plaque. Bob Lincoln is flre chief. (Cedar
Rapids Gazette, April 1966)
six: Larry McConaughy. four: Dirk Downing, five: Mike
Shaffer, four; Tom Weaklen, three: Jeff Marek, one.
In 1981. a new $181,000 fire station was constructed
to house $300,000 worth of fire-fighting equipment.
This was a culmination of talking about the need for
several years. The firemen. led by Don Brady. then fire
chief, were very tenacious about urging the city council
to build a new fire station, citing the seriousness of the
cramped conditions at the old site. adjoining the city
hall on South Ford Street.
The new station, with seven stalls, located at 704 E.
Third street, houses two city pumper trucks. a city
emergency truck which goes to all fires, a rural pumper
truck, a rural water wagon, a new rural four-wheel
drive grass fire unit. and the city's extra ambulance.
The present chief is Ivan Eden with Larry Hansen, First
Assistant Chief, George “Red” Campbell. Second
Assistant Chief and Keith Hanna, Public Relations
Officer.
Firemen who have retired and their years of service
are: Jack Byers, 31: Roy Rodman. 21; Russ Ellison, 27:
Al Brenaman, 23: Harold Huston. 25: Guy Taylor, 38:
Bob Miller, 20: Buddy Norton, 13.
Anamosa Fire Department
The Beginning
A disastrous Main Street fire in 1875 prompted the
people of Anamosa to organize a Fire Department. it
consisted of three separate companies: Deluge Hose Co.
No.1, Rescue Hose Co. No. 2. and the Weir Hook 8:
Ladder Co. The first written records date from February
10, 1885.
The Hose Companies had two wheeled carts that
were pulled by man-power to the fire scene. The Hook
and Ladder Co. was a larger, four-wheeled device.
usually pulled by a team of horses furnished by one of
submitted by Robert “Bob" Lincoln
62
the local dray operators.
The Fire Department was alerted by a large bell
located on a tower near the center of the city.
It is reported the draymen would race their teams to
the Fire House upon healing the Fire Bell. It was an
honor to be able to pull the Hook & Ladder equipment
to the fire.
Water for fire fighting came from a large grade level
reservoir located on South Ford Street hill. There were
a series of water hydrants located in the main part of