Philadelphia Steam Fire Engine Co. No. 1

After a series of bad fires in 1870, Borough Council recognized the need for a local fire company and sent representatives to Philadelphia to purchase their first piece of equipment, a hand drawn pumper apparatus, from the Philadelphia Fire Company #18. On January 3, 1871, with the help of some local men Pottstown's first fire company, the Philadelphia Fire Company of Pottstown, was formed. In June of 1871, they added a horse-drawn Silsby steam engine apparatus and became the Philadelphia Steam Engine Fire Company #1 (nicknamed the Phillies) at their incorporation on August 21, 1871. The Phillies first firehouse was located on the south side of the 100 block of King Street. On October 5, 1876, members voted to buy the lot at 240 Chestnut Street where the firehouse stands today. Construction began on September 6, 1878. All the construction was done by members of the company. T.L. Yergey was in charge of the masonry and brick work, and Frank Fegley supervised the building supplies and furnished the materials. The approximate cost was $13,000.00. The dedication ceremony was held on June 12, 1880. There have been only two renovations to the firehouse over the years, one in the 1930's to change the doors for bigger equipment and in the 1940's to move the social quarters from the basement to the second level replacing the parlor that had been used for meetings. The Phillies have always been committed to supporting the needs of Pottstown's residents, as well as those of the community as a whole; volunteering many hours beyond those required to perform the regular activities of a volunteer fire company. This tradition still exists, and we hope that due to the effort of its dedicated volunteers it will continue into the future.William Krause