I reached out to Rick Kurish for help researching the old
fire truck that used to be located in the playground at Cascade Park.
Unfortunately, I didn’t make it easier for Rick by accidentally (and feeblemindedly)
telling him it was an old train!
Rick responded, “My family frequented Cascade Park at least
once or twice a year from the mid 1950s until the early 1960s, and while I and
my brothers were all over the playground, I have no recollection of an actual
railroad locomotive in the park.”
Once I informed Rick of my mistake, it didn’t take long for
him to remember the fire truck.
“Ah, a fire truck, not a train!” he responded. “Yes, I
remember the fire truck. It sat near the building that served as a concession
stand. I was never too interested in the fire truck, but my younger brothers
spent some time playing on it. I was more into the slides and swings ---
especially the corkscrew slide.”
It didn’t take long at all for Rick came through as usual.
“Attached is a neat article from the Chronicle-Telegram of
June 8,1956 which details the fire truck that the city of Elyria retired and
donated to Cascade Park. The city apparently bought the truck new in 1929.
Perhaps your correspondent who played on the truck in the 1960s will find the
article interesting.”
Here is the article (below). It reveals that the fire truck
was a 1929 Ahrens-Fox. The company was based in Ohio.
I sent the article to Fritz, who was happy to get the
information about the fire truck that he remembered so well.
“It's hard to believe that it was put out to pasture in the
park with only a couple thousand miles on it,” observed Fritz. “I'm sure it was
well-loved and played on by all children who visited Cascade Park. I know by
the time I first played on it the fire truck had been there at least 10 yrs.
from what your article states from 1956. By then it was becoming well-worn when
I first remember climbing upon it.
“I always remember it had that huge brass or chrome ball
mounted on the front which I presume was part of the pumping unit.”
Here's a photo of Fritz and his siblings playing on the fire truck in the late summer or early fall months between 1966 and 1968.
Here's a photo of Fritz and his siblings playing on the fire truck in the late summer or early fall months between 1966 and 1968.
"Standing on top on the upper left is my brother Adam, and next to him on the right is my sister Keely. I’m seated below them holding onto one of the levers,” noted Fritz.
"The next
question for all,” muses Fritz, "is whatever happened to it when it was removed from the park
and when? Let's hope it ended up being preserved and restored somewhere.
Being a 1929 Ahrens-Fox model, I would think that by today’s standards, it
would be quite a collectible model.
“Although I did not live in Elyria, we would go there
frequently for summer band concerts, and on Sunday drives for picnics in my dad’s
Model A Ford. We would also go there in the winter to go sledding down the
hill.
“Thank you so much for searching and finding the information
from my memories of the fire truck from 50 or so years ago!”
And thanks to Rick, a little bit of Cascade Park history –
retrieved from the Chronicle-Telegram – is available online for others who
remember the fire truck from their childhood.
****
3 comments:
Hi Dan - thanks for cuing fond memories of my childhood once again. I'm a few years younger than you and I remember a few details of that truck as I have always been fascinated by all things mechanical. My memory probably dates from 1970-1974 when I was 6 to 10 years old. I don't remember much shiny left on the truck by that time, and I definitely don't remember the chrome pressure tank on the front. I also know the engine had been removed, as I remember burrowing into the sand under the sinking frame to get into the engine compartment. I believe the transmission was still in place. Old grease has a distinctive smell and that's another recollection I have of the old fire truck.
Do you have any other pictures of the fire truck?
As you can see, I just updated it with a photo and reminisce kindly sent to me later by Fritz.
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