Dover Public Library Discovers Historical Logs from Dover Fire
DOVER – The staff at the Dover Public Library has made an extraordinary discovery while organizing archives in preparation for the library’s upcoming renovation. In an effort led by Library Director Denise LaFrance, a previously uncatalogued set of Dover Fire Department logbooks was found. The logbooks, a series of four books, were discovered in the library’s archives and have now been transferred to Dover Fire Department Headquarters.
This follows a similar discovery in 2012 of a set of logbooks that had been stored in the attic of the Broadway Fire Station for nearly a century. This new set of documents appears to date from an even earlier period and relate to the Orchard Street Fire Station, now the site of Ember Wood Fired Grill at 1 Orchard St. These new documents cover the period from November 1889 through December 1920 and detail significant fires in Dover’s history.
Some of the fascinating Dover fires recorded in these logs include:
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The Strafford County Insane Asylum fire of February 1893, which killed 44 people.
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The Sawyer School fire in March 1890.
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The destruction of the Garrison Hill Wooden Observatory in June 1897.
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The fire in the Masonic Temple in March 1906.
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The fire in the Cochecomolen in January 1907.
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The fire at the American House on Franklin Square in November 1907.
The Dover Fire Department is seeking memorabilia related to its history. Over the years, former Dover firefighters and families of deceased firefighters have donated old memorabilia and photos from the Dover Fire. Anyone with items they would like to share or donate is encouraged to contact Deputy Chief Craig Chabot at c.chabot@dover.nh.gov.
Somersworth resident raises national flag aboard USS Ronald Reagan
SOMERSWORTH — Aviation Boatswain’s Mate (Aircraft Handling) Alyssa Rogers, of Somersworth, raised the national flag aboard the flight deck of the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76) at Naval Base Kitsap in Bremerton, Wash., Aug. 13. After nine years as the U.S. Navy’s only forward-deployed aircraft carrier, Ronald Reagan redeployed to the 3rd Fleet operating area for a routine maintenance period. Ronald Reagan provides a combat-ready force that protects and defends the United States and supports alliances, partnerships and collective maritime interests in the Indo-Pacific region.
This article originally appeared in Portsmouth Herald: Dover Library Makes Historic Discovery: Community News Update
