Our History

In October 1921, Glenham was a tight little hamlet of the Town of Fishkill. World War I had been over only several years, and there were a number of veterans of the war living in Glenham. Patriotism and hometown pride were at a high level. After all, as President Wilson declared, the world had been "made safe for democracy."

In 1921, the ice business was a flourishing operation. The Chase family owned two large ice ponds and a multi-story ice house. Several of the Chase brothers had fought in World War I and were interested in hometown improvements. Th MacLoren family, who owned the Braeburn Woolen Mills, was also anxious to have a fire company in Glenham, and they offered the use of a small building adjacent to a large three-story brick building which had been a company store owned by the A.T. Steward Company, the predecessor of the Braeburn Company. 

Mr. H. Seaton Frank, an insurance broker with an office in Beacon, was also a community-minded man who was interested in the formation of a fire company in Glenham. 

In the fullness of time, the Town Board of the Town of Fishkill, at a special meeting on October 11, 1921, acting on the basis of a petition received by them, established a fire company "for the extinguishment of fires in this town," and appointed what would appear to be a list of almost all the male inhabitants of Glenham, regardless of age or physical or mental condition. 

In 1921, there were no water lines or hydrants in Glenham, or, for that matter, in the Village or Town of Fishkill. Thus it was decided that a foam type apparatus would be the most suitable for Glenham. The question arose as to what would be a good name for the fire company. The salesman for the Model T Ford chemical fire truck suggested that the company be named after one of the men from Glenham who had given his life for his country in World War I. Accordingly, the name Slater Chemical Fire Company was chosen in honor of Jesse Slater, a Glenham Resident who gave his life during WWI. 

A large sign was placed in front of the truck and meeting room of the firehouse reading, "Slater Chemical Fire Co., Inc." It really was not incorporated until many years later, but sounded quite impressive to a number of firemen and other Glenham citizens at the time.  

When the Town of Fishkill established the Glenham Water District in 1932, a six-inch main with hydrants was laid from the Village of Fishkill line down through Glenham to Matteawan State Hospital, the idea being that Glenham would buy water from Fishkill Village and make a profit by selling it to Matteawn State Hospital. The bond issue was for the big sum of $27,000, was was a lot of money back in those days. The engineer who installed the village mains was not hired by the Glenham Fire District. Mr. L. S. Haskin, a retired civil engineer, volunteered to oversee the Glenham installation. 

After Glenham had water and hydrants, it was obvious to everyone that a Model T Ford chemical fire truck was no longer suitable, so the Town Board of the Town of Fishkill, on the basis of a petition signed by the taxpayers representing more than fifty-one percent of the real property in a proposed fire district, established the Glenham Fire District on October 30, 1934, and appointed the following commissioners:

• Frank Bolasky
• Albert C. Robinson
• Harold Kelly
• Karl Wuenerthiss
• Ralph Chase, Treasurer 

The first project for the commissioners was to purchase a new firetruck and float a bond issue to pay for it. The whole country was in the depths of The Great Depression, but with true Glenham spirit, they went for the best of the line and bought a beautiful 1936 American LaFrance pumper, which was admired by all of Glenham, except for a few "scrooge types" who described it as an expensive toy for loafers who hung around the firehouse. 

In 1922, the fire company went to a big Fireman's [arade in Beacon with the Model T Ford Chemical Fire Truck. The uniforms they bought for the parade consisted of a cap, a white shirt, and a snap-on bow tie. Since everybody had a blue suit in which to get married or buried, pants were not purchased. Everyone said the boys in the parade were a credit to Glenham, and Ralph Chase was the Drill Master. A large straw hat was hung on the Mase Hat Shop Building as a prize for the fire company that could climb up and get it. Martin Moseman brought it down by using a ladder borrowed from the Mase Hook and Ladder Company. Everyone in Glenham was justly proud of our "Mit," as he was called. Miss Lizzie Doyles was so entranced by the performance, that she was inspired to write a poem and have it engrossed and framed by a Mr. Wanzer, "A Master Penman." The first several lines of the poem went like this:

The boys of Slater Chemical Company first rap,

Sure put Glenham on the United States map.

They will put a fire out one, three, four, two,

Just like they fought for the Red, White, and blue.

Over the years, there have been many members that contributed to the fire company. To every man and woman, past and present, thank you for everything you have done and continue to do for the Slater Chemical Fire Company. 

This passage was originally written in 1996 for our 75th anniversary.