History
of the
Waupaca
Volunteer Fire Department
On May 11, 1871
the first organized fire company was formed. The Waupaca Fire Company consisted
with two units:
The first horse drawn fire engine,
an 1885 Mansfield steam fire engine, was purchased for $770.00.
A hose cart and hose was purchased
in 1892 for $600.00.
Later the Fire Department Committee
approved the purchase, from Stevens Point, of a steam driven fire engine at
a cost of $1,400.
In 1894, the new City Hall / Fire
Station was built at 210 N. Main Street (now occupied by the Fireside Apartments).
The
fire department was assigned the southeast room on the second floor as a meeting
room. Two dozen strong chairs and a secretary's desk were ordered for the departments use.
The main floor of the building had
stalls for the horses and bays for the fire apparatus.
The first gasoline powered fire
truck was purchased by the Waupaca Fire Company in 1926 from W.S. Nott Company
of Minneapolis, MN for $5,000.
The City Council passed an ordinance
in 1939 combining the hook and ladder company and the hose company into one
group, which became the Waupaca Fire Department.
On
July 7, 1942, the City of Waupaca purchased a used Seagrave fire truck from
the City of Shawano. This gave the Waupaca Fire Department two motorized units.
The townships of Farmington and
Waupaca purchased a new Mack fire truck in 1944 and entered into an agreement
with the City of Waupaca to house, care for and man the fire truck for the townships
fire protection.
On October 31, 1950 the City of
Waupaca purchased a new four wheel drive fire truck from the Four Wheel Drive
(FWD) Company in Clintonville.
Until the early 1960's only three
fire engines protected the City.
Time took its time on the building
which housed the fire department and city hall.
New larger and heavier equipment
could no longer be housed in the station. A new building had to be constructed
to replace the over 70 year old landmark. 
In 1968 the fire department moved
into their new quarters located next to the old
Waupaca Armory. A hose tower was built to aid in drying hoses.
More room was needed to accommodate
additional fire engines and equipment, and in 1979 the members of the Waupaca
Volunteer Fire Department built a 5 stall addition to the existing building.
Now, 129 years later, the Waupaca
Fire Department is still going strong. Many changes have taken place over the
years.
Our coverage area has increased
from just the village of Waupaca in the early 1860's, to approximately 150 square
miles. It includes the townships of Waupaca, Farmington, Dayton, and parts of
Lind, Lanark, and Belmont in addition to the City of Waupaca.
In 1991, this group of townships
and the City of Waupaca united to form what is now known as the Waupaca Area Fire District.
