H I S T O R I C N A S H U A
YESTER-HEROES
By Gary Ledoux

Stories from the History of Nashua’s Police and Fire-Rescue Departments.

If you have never witnessed a “fireman’s muster” it is quite a sight to see. A muster typically revolves around a competition between fire companies from around the surrounding area. Or the contest might be between two different firehouses in the same city, or between two or more departments from different towns or cities. The companies compete against each other in such contests as seeing who can be first to get a ladder off a truck and against a building, or who can be the first to get a stream of water flowing through a hose. The first fireman’s muster was held in Bath, Maine, on July 4, 1849.
On September 2, 1893, a huge fireman’s muster was held in Milford, NH, featuring fire apparatus and personnel from Nashua, Milford, Goffstown, Pepperell, MA, Groton, MA, and Ayer, MA. Non-competing firefighters attended from as far away as Lowell, MA. The festivities were started with a huge parade through Milford where “the houses were finely decorated.” Nashua’s pumper did not show well in competition but it is certain the camaraderie more than made up for it. The prizes were $100, $60 and $40; Pepperell taking first place throwing a stream 207 feet, 3 inches, Colby of Goffstown second, Taggart of Goffstown third with Nashua finishing fifth. The fun continued on September 27, 1893. When another muster was held in Nashua. The festivities started with a “huge parade” sponsored by the Nashua Fire Department.
On October 9, 1893, the first “Emergency Hospital” in Nashua, located on Spring Street is dedicated. By this time, the city population had reached 19,300 people, a 44% increase from the 13,400 people in the city in 1880. Prior to this time, if someone was sick or injured, they were brought to their home. The police station (prior to 1890) only had one or two beds to accommodate someone who may have been hurt in a commercial or street accident. With automobiles only a few years away, the hospital would be sorely needed.
December 20, 1893 The new “Amherst Street Engine House” is nearing completion, but is held up because no one can decide what type of heating system to use; steam or hot water. (Author’s Note: It would seem that this would have been decided when the plans were drawn up in the spring of 1893!?) The engine, hose cart, part of the horses and chemical are already secured and waiting to take their place in the new engine house when completed.
May 17, 1894 The new home of the First Congregational Church, a large, grand, church made of gray granite, costing an estimated $125,000, and located on the corner of Concord and Lowell streets is dedicated. Thus, the congregation vacated their former place of worship at the corner of Pearson and Main Street. The new church replaced the old Indian Head Coffee House, a tavern and hotel and one of Nashua’s first social centers, serving the local and traveling public for almost 100 years. Now, with the First Congregational Church in place, and the Soldiers and Sailors Monument, situated across the street since the fall of 1889, the top of Library Hill had taken on the silhouette of what modern-day Nashuan’s still see.
From the 1880s to the 1930s, many fire departments used what were then called “chemical trucks.” These were trucks equipped with soda-acid tanks that created a pressure and forced water out of the tank through a hose. The Nashua Fire Department purchased a chemical truck in the summer of 1889. At the time, many thought it was an extravagant waste of money. However, five years later, the chemical truck had more than proved its usefulness. In June, 1894, it was estimated that 60 percent of all the fires in Nashua over the previous five years had been extinguished by the chemical, an excellent record. In 1892 there were 92 fires, and of those 46 were put out with the chemical alone. In 1893 there were 45 fires and at over half of those fires the chemical was sufficient. In other years the proportion had been larger. Already during 1894 there was nearly as many alarms as for the whole of 1893. In the majority of the fires the chemical had been able to fight the fires successfully. Not only had the chemical done all the work and more than was claimed for it but it did the work in a much better manner in a small fire in a dwelling house or store, a small stream from the chemical put out the fire and very little damaged was done, while if a water hose was used the damage from the water would be much greater. Most people dread the damage by the water almost as bad as they do fire and when only the chemical was used, the damage was reduced to a minimum. The chemical crew was made up of a foreman, assistant foreman, a clerk, pipe man and driver.
July 21, 1894 The Amherst Street Fire Station is officially placed in service. It housed Steamer #1 and Hook and Ladder Company #2. The station was technically known as a three-door house and was complete with stable, barn, shed, sleeping quarters, and company rooms. The building was transferred to the fire department on July 17, 1894, at a cost of $36,000. This was a grand building for its time. In 2021-dollars the cost would be $1,126,862.79. An open house, held on July 22nd, was crowded with visitors. The American Band played “delightful music” and an “excellent spread” was served. Author’s Note: The location and design of the station has stood the test of time requiring only improvements to accommodate heavier apparatus. The wood floor was removed in 1974 and replaced with concrete, and the concrete was further reinforced in the 1990s. Today, in 2025, it is the oldest continuously operated fire house in the state.
October 5, 1894 Nashua celebrates “Merchants Week” by having, among other events, a huge Firemen’s Parade on Friday, October 5, followed by “a contest” which was probably a firemen’s muster pitting fire company against fire company. Represented were fire departments from Wilton, Goffstown, New Boston and Milford, NH, as well as East Pepperell, South Gardiner, Worcester, Lowell, and Peabody, MA. Including several bands and drum corps, it was billed as the largest parade ever in the state. “Firemen assembled at the Central Fire Station and then went down Temple to Main to Amherst to Merrimack to Rural to Concord to Orange to Canal to Main to Belmont, countermarch up Main to Central Fire Station.” Author’s Note: If the aforementioned route is correct, it’s a wonder the fire fighters had any energy to compete in any competitions!
Thanks to firefighter David Morin for his help with this article.
Excerpted from Ledoux’s book: Nashua’s Bravest: The History of Firefighting in Nashua NH

Yester-Heroes author Gary Ledoux grew up in Nashua’s Crown Hill area, attending Nashua schools and graduating from Nashua High in 1970. He attended NH Vo-Tech for a time, then moved to Amherst, then Manchester, and Weare. He served as a volunteer on the Amherst Fire Dept from 1974 to 1977. A career in the automotive business took him to Florida and then to southern California. After 48 years, he retired in 2017, moving back to Florida with his wife, Rachel, and two dogs. He has published seven books, including two about Nashua history, and has been a contributing editor or contributor to 10 different magazines. Gary can be reached at mayorclum@yahoo.com