mums032 Guide to the Enfield Fire Department Records, 1902-1938 (bulk 1911-1938) Finding Aid Finding aid prepared by Linda Seidman. Encoding funded by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation. Special Collections and University Archives, W.E.B. Du Bois Library, University of Massachusetts Amherst

Amherst, MA

2002

Finding aid encoded using Perl scripts and edited in XMetal 2.0. Encoded by Eric S. Cartier. 2002-04-10 Finding aid written in English. 2005-09-23 mu44 converted from EAD 1.0 to 2002 by v1to02-5c.xsl (sy2003-10-15). Special Collections and University Archives, W.E.B. Du Bois Library, University of Massachusetts Amherst Enfield Fire Department Records, 1902-1938 (bulk 1911-1938) Finding Aid Manuscript Number 32 Compiled by Linda Seidman September 1985 Encoding funded by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.

Collection Overview Enfield (Mass.). Fire Department. Enfield Fire Department Records 1902-1938 1911-1938 MS 32 (Housed with other small collections in 1 box) Special Collections and University Archives, W.E.B. Du Bois Library, University of Massachusetts Amherst Fire Department of Enfield, Massachusetts. Includes a minutebook (1911-1938) that discusses the purchase and use of rubber clothing, the care and refurbishing of the engine house, fires put out, preparation of warrant articles for Town Meetings, submission of names for membership and the vote taken on them, and the annual Firemen's Ball. Also contains 1902 booklet of Rules and Regulations, some financial records, and correspondence. English. Scope and Contents of the Collection

The Enfield Fire Department records consist mainly of a minutebook, kept irregularly between 1911 and 1938 by the Secretary. Matters discussed include the purchase and use of rubber clothing; the care and refurbishing of the engine house; the fires put out since the last meeting; the preparation of warrant articles for Town Meeting requesting, for example, funds for an addition to the engine house for ladder storage; the submission of names for membership and the vote taken on them; and very frequently over the years, the decision to hold the annual Firemen's Ball. The tradition of these balls culminated in a Farewell Ball, April 27, 1938, "commemorating the passing of the Town of Enfield and Swift River Valley". Enfield was among the Western Massachusetts towns abolished in 1938 to allow the Swift River Valley to be flooded, thereby creating the Quabbin Reservoir to provide Boston with water.

Additional records include a 1902 booklet of the Rules and Regulations; the 1916 financial records for the Firemen's Ball; correspondence between the Chief, Dr. Willard B. Segur, and the members regarding his 1915 illness; and a list of names, mostly regional, date and purpose unknown.

The collection is open for research.

Preferred Citation

Cite as: Enfield Fire Department Records (MS 32). Special Collections and University Archives, W.E.B. Du Bois Library, University of Massachusetts Amherst.

Acquired from Donald Howe, 1960.

Processed by Linda Seidman, September 1985.

Search Terms Enfield (Mass.). Fire Dept.--History--Sources. Fire departments--Massachusetts--Enfield--Equipment and supplies--History--Sources. Fires--Massachusetts--Enfield--History--Sources. Fire fighters--Massachusetts--Enfield--History--Sources. Balls (Parties)--Massachusetts--Enfield--History--Sources. Quabbin Reservoir Region (Mass.)--History. Minute books.