First Fire Department at 220 S. Main St., next to former Blacksmith Shop at 214 Main St.
220 So. Main, 1st Fire Dept. on Main St., next to former Blacksmith Shop at 214 Main St.
Sugar Grove Fire Protection District, Newspaper photo of personnel
220 S. Main St. Sugar Grove, IL The first fire station was built on a lot donated by Teresa Keck, widow of William Keck, at 220 Main Street, Sugar Grove, Illinois. At first, all fire calls were answered on phones in Keck's Store as well as tht echief's and the assistant chief's homes. A siren on the roof of the original fire house alerted the volunteers, along with an alarm in each volunteers' home. Each fireman had a fellow volunteer to call when an alarm went out. Radios were not installed in the trucks until 1958. After moving north in 1973 to a new station at 61 Main Street, pagers were installed in firemen's homes, as well as with the Aurora Fire Department. In August of 1978, the emergency "911" number became the Fire Call Number. 2006 was the move to a four bay station on Municipal Drive.
ORIGINAL FIREMEN OF SUGAR GROVE, IL., Arden Persnick, 1st Chief, April 3rd, 1946-until his death in 1962. Delmar Krieghbaum was Chief from 1962 - Apr. 3rd, 1996
L. to R. Top Row: Wayne Meek, Everett Childi..., John Classon, Ralph Duggan, Willis McCannon, Frank O'Brian, Leigh Sauer, Alex Fauscelli, Jim Perry, Edgar Snow, Stanley Snow. L to R Middle Row: Scott Armantrout, Fay Hayes, R. Baum, Don Baum, Brooks Wilson, Chuck Maier, Nelson Meyer, Glenn Nelson, Allan Flanders, Jim Todd, George Whilbin. L to R Seated: Arden Perschnick (Chief) Carter Wilson, Spif Keck, Art Healy, Otto Divikey, Walt Rollins, Stan Berry, Del Kreigbaum.
WHAT FAMILIES HAVE LIVED HERE? 79 Maple St., Arden & Louise Perschnick home. The garage housed the fire truck in the 1940s. Arden also delivered fuel (gas and oil) to rural areas. Arden & Louise Perschnick (Nancy?); Earl & Marilyn Anderson (Susan & Jeff)
Firehouse looking South on West Side of Main
First Fire House, Early 1950's, 220 Main St.
Front Row: Norm Hanson (?), Jack Huggins, Del Knighbaum. Bk. Row: Ray Fox, Gen Love, Vern Bijorenson.
Sugar Grove Fire Dept. Water Fight at Corn Boil