Central Hook & Ladder #1 History

In the summer of 1880, several members of the Somerville Engine Company #1 decided there was a need in Somerville for a hook and ladder truck. They resigned from the Engine Company and together with several other volunteers, organized Central Hook & Ladder Company #1 in June of that year with 18 charter members.

A hand-drawn ladder truck was purchased with money raised by the sale of $5.00 bonds in Somerville and Raritan. Later these bonds were paid off with interest. The truck was housed in a small frame building on Union Street, rent for which was paid by the members. This first truck was sold to Roselle in 1896 and a hand-drawn “Wonder” truck was purchased.

At this time, a movement was started to procure larger quarters. Entertainment, minstrel shows, and card parties were held to raise funds, and finally a lot was purchased on Division Street. A three-story brick building was erected and dedicated in 1902. Entire cost of the building was $6,500. The truck room was on the first floor and a public pool and billiards room was on the second floor, a source of income to help pay for the building. Meetings were held on the third floor. To raise additional monies, the Hooks used their team and dump truck to collect garbage in town, and it was the duty of the Treasurer to collect 25 cents a week from each customer.

The second apparatus was sold to Port Reading in 1909 and a horse-drawn Seagrave hook and ladder truck was purchased. Horses were stalled in the rear of the truck room and their harness hung from the ceiling with ropes and pulleys in front of the truck. When an alarm sounded, horses were brought to the front of the truck and the harness dropped and buckled in a matter of seconds. The last team of Tom and Jerry was retired to the Harry Doyle farm in Neshanic in 1924.

That year, the Company received from the Borough a motorized Seagrave truck with a booster tank and complete set of wooden ladders, the largest being a 50-footer. A custom was started by the council at that time to replace each truck every 20 years, so in 1945 the Seagrave was replaced with a Peter-Pirsch 65-foot aerial truck. In 1965, this truck was sold to the Borough of Raritan, and we received a 100-foot Seagrave aerial, which will extend to the top floor of our highest building. In parade competition, this truck won many trophies together with the fine showing of the men in line. In May of 1984, the Hooks accepted delivery of a new 100-foot Seagrave aerial which features a totally enclosed cab, extensive compartmentalization and updated equipment.

Today, a 2005 Seagrave Concorde tractor drawn aerial serves the Hook & Ladder Company. Upon it’s delivery in 2006, Truck 1 was stationed at the West End Hose building as it could not fit in the Division Street firehouse. Division Street was closed to traffic permanently in 2011 and became a pedestrian mall. The Hook & Ladder Company sold the Division Street firehouse in May of 2013 and relocated their company to a building adjacent to the West End Hose building. This building sold in March of 2020 and the Hooks moved into West End Hose full-time, where their Truck is still currently stationed.