Colton Fire Department History

(Resource "Colton New York: Story of a Town, II)

We can find the beginnings of the Colton Fire Department if we look back to the spring of 1890.  It was at that time that the people of the Village of Colton felt it was time to have some formal type of fire protection.  Up until that time the bucket brigade was the only way they could fight fires.

Town Supervisor M B Hawley purchased a used hand water pumper from Potsdam and when there was a fire, 8 to 10 volunteers stood on each side and worked handrails up and down to pump out a powerful stream of water.

In 1894, the Colton Board of Supervisors established the first fire district for the village. 

In 1901 the first engine house was opened on Gustin Square.

This building has since become a private residence and can still be seen on the west bank of the river.














It is easy to identify by its fire engine red color.


It wasn't until 1925 that the first fire engine was purchased, a Stewart truck with a Hale Pump. During the 1930's more equipment was purchased.

By 1936 they had out grown the Gustin Square fire house so the old Libby Store on the island was purchased and that became the new fire station.
In 1938 the district was expanded to include a 2 mile radius into the Township.

In 1953 an ambulance was donated to the department by a local business.

1954 brought about the formation of Company #2.

In 1956 the Fire District was expanded to north of the Blue Line. A referendum was approved to build two new fire stations to house each of the two companies.

Construction started on the two fire stations in Colton and South Colton and both are still in use today. They opened in the Spring of 1957.

A new ambulance was purchased  for company #1 in 1963 and for Company #2, in 1965. During 1968 both companies signed a ambulance service contract with the Town of Colton

Until 1971 when the Colton Water Sewer District was established and fire hydrants could be installed, water tanks had been constructed in strategic points around town to provide water to fight the fire.

In 2007 land was purchased on Pleasant Street (CR 58) as the future site of a new fire station.

Recently, the two original companies have been merged to form one unit, The Colton Fire Department

"Memorable Fires"

Two major fires that are memorable in the history of the fire department, are the Empire Exchange Hotel fire in 1900, and the School House fire on April 15, 1943.

The Empire Exchange Hotel was located where the Hepburn Library now stands.

Colton Union School

The Colton Union School, the "Hump-Bump", was located up the hill on Main Street, west of Route 56.

On April 15, 1943, the fire started while school was in session. Every one escaped to safety, but the school was a complete loss.

For a more in-depth history of the Fire Department, read the book: "Colton, New York: Story of a Town, II"