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Seek and Ye Shall Find....
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Top level
What's New
City Wide Treasures
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Wilson Hill Engine House..."The Pride of the Hill".
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78 Years of Service
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Standing inconspicuously upon the crest of a hill in east Manchester is the Wilson Hill Engine House. Many of you have never noticed it, while many more have been under its spell for some years. Still there are others who’ve seen, but have never given it a second look. The latter group had better look good, and look soon; talk of doom looms over what has been referred to as the Weston Street Fire Station.
Weathered by the storms of 102 years, it sits still, as symbol of many years of history, missed opportunities, but most importantly, as a tangible token of the dedication on the part of men who’d give their lives to protect others and their property.
The alarm is now being sounded through a recent flurry of letters and editorials printed in the New Hampshire Union Leader. Commonly believed to be Manchester's oldest standing firehouse, at least two others, with the possibility of a third are older: "Massabesic Hose #2" at the corner of Maple and East High sts (present site of the Latin American Center) dates to about 1875. The "Fire King" engine house on North Main St, (now the West Side Library) was constructed in 1886. Wilson Hill is however, the most unaltered firehouse to remain in Manchester for over a century.
This latest feature will be a detailed story in several parts, carefully and fully researched and augmented by a gallery packed with photos. If you can bear the bad news, getcher Kleenex (trademark) or Puffs Plus (trademark also) if you prefer; it sounds like dark days to come for the charm of this neighborhood.
TOP PHOTO: The facade of the Wilson Hill Engine House as it appeared on August 2, 2002, looking to the east from Weston St.
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Mere Days Left
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Wilson Hill Engine House has stood strong and straight against the west wind since 1904. For seventy-eight years it provided protection to the east side of Manchester, and fostered many memories in the minds of those who claimed this as their neighborhood. Boys would thrill at the sirens and the rush of equipment down the hill to the next emergency. The sounds associated with a firehouse in this neighborhood faded off in 1982 when a foreboding silence fell over the station. Naturally, apparatus had grown to sizes and weights that the building could no longer accomodate. The doors were closed and the windows boarded up, tightly sealing the fate of the building. Like Wonka's factory, it seemed nothing went in, and nothing came out. What DOES still go in is rain through a roof that has not been maintained for fourteen years, and the birds who find this shelter enough, slipping through purchase points in the rear eaves.
What hasn't been seen by many though are the effects of wanton neglect. Used for storage, the apparatus bays are filled with a myriad of unrelated items; school furniture and various unused building materials sit here, seemingly unneeded and abandoned.
Bottom Photo
The station nearly four years later, from the same angle of view, though utilizing a very different angle of light. By comparing both facade views, the previous year's trimming of sumac is apparent.
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What's so special you wonder?
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There are those who'd describe the structure as "just bricks and mortar", but those who have been "under its spell", and have appreciated its dormant existence shudder at the thought of its razing. Is there really any beauty in it? Ward 4 alderman Jerome Duval said it's becoming an "attractive nuisance."
On February 15, 2006, a structural engineer with the firm Foley, Buhl, Roberts and Associates conducted an hour-long assessment along with the Superintendant of facilities for the City. Their findings were submitted to the City in a brief, two-page memo dated February 21, 2006. The summary of the report reads in part, "Overall, the building is in an advanced state of deterioration. Repair and renovation, while possible, do not appear to be an economically feasible (or practical) course of action." Richard E. Roberts, P.E. also added, "Although the building is over 100 years old, it does not appear to be unique or architecturally significant. The City may wish to consult with an architect or a historic preservation consultant in this regard."
One month later, on Tuesday, March 21, 2006, the Board of Mayor and Aldermen voted to demolish this charming edifice as an "emergency action" to mitigate concerns about asbestos, its questionable structural integrity and ramped mold proliferation.
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In the eyes of the beholder......
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....lies the beauty of this building. Who are the "beholders"? They are the folks of the neighborhood who, despite the stations disrepair, want it to remain. One such neighbor- Madelyn Ahlgren, on March 27 said, "It's a crime to tear that down. It was not given enough consideration. We the people weren't consulted".
On March 29, 2006, the Union Leader published an editorial, "An Old Firehouse-What Does It Mean To Manchester". The editorial suggested that the building's historical and sentimental value to the people may be quantified by answering a simple question. "Before neighbors get too upset, they need to ask themselves a question. In the past twenty-four years, what have they done to save it?"
B.J. Hickman, a Dover resident who grew up in the neighborhood, wrote the editor of the paper expressing his disappointment that the building was slated for demolition. Mr. Hickman shared his stories of the firemen flooding frog pond for a skating rink in the winter, and distributing candy to the neighborhood children. Hickman also called alderman Duval in January of this year to suggest ideas for the station.
Four years ago, your author inquired about a possible purchase of the property, and was told it was not for sale. A museum, suggested by local activist Walter Stiles, was being considered. All the while, Manchester's property owners have been paying their taxes, fully expecting all municipal buildings were being properly maintained.
Alderman Roy, at the March 21 meeting of the Board of Mayor and Alderman revealed something more: "I am apalled that a building in this City, a former firehouse that many people tried to purchase over the last 20 years is about to be demolished."
As a rebuttal to the Union Leader editorial, it seems then that the neighbors HAVE tried to save it, by "putting their money where their mouth is", and seeking to purchase the structure. Truth be told, they have not been allowed.
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Concord St. Wall
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Unlike many other demolition cases which have played out in Manchester, it seems this one will not be the quietest, or be argued against by the most passive of opponents.
Toni Pappas, Hillsborough County Commissioner, and President of the Board of Directors of the Manchester Historic Association says, "It represents symbolically the history of the Fire Department as well as the City. I hope we don't end up tearing it down, because we (the city) have a history of doing that with historic buildings".
After being voted on by aldermen, Mayor Frank Guinta and other city officials offered a faint shimmer of hope at a March 27th Ward meeting at Derryfield Country Club, saying they will delay the leveling of the building, but it remains an uphill battle. Said the Mayor, "If there is anything we can do, we'll do it." That leaves us to wonder, does the mayor truly mean "ANYTHING", or has the gavel fallen? The fact is, buildings do not sit abandoned for nearly a quarter century, before being suddenly inspected and condemned. Consider this building's close proximity to an overcrowded school, and the interest expressed by a local developer in the couple acres of land behind it. Think there's more to the story? You'd better believe there is!
This image of the south wall of the station shows the view to the west, down Concord St. To note the trees rooted at the foundation will serve as a reminder that this building indeed has its structural concerns. The engineer's report cannot be discounted. A fair degree of integrity remains, so any reasonable assessment of the value of this structure must consider historic significance, potential tax revenue, sentimental value to the community, but more importantly, the opportunity for Manchester to find redemption for its failure to preserve other historic structures neglected and demolished in the past.
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A clue to a keen eye.....
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....was the existence of these quarried granite blocks. Photographed on April 9, 2006, they offer the viewer information about the original heating system installed here. On the south wall, twenty feet below the chimney is this coal shute, where the coal wagon unloaded his cargo. Another similar pattern of granite blocks exists on the north wall, though is not below a chimney. It has been filled in and paved over.
All door threshholds and window sills utilize this quarried granite, likely taken from the Amoskeag Ledge, just to the north over Oak Hill.
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Implement of neccessity
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Seen in the image above is what I've dubbed a "coal rake". Measuring 73 inches in length, such an item was used to pull ash and coal slag from coal fired furnaces.
Though this item is not from the Wilson Hill Engine House, it was salvaged from the Lake Ave Firehouse, "Merrimack Hose #3" during it's demolition. This particular station also had its coal shutes, and coal was known to have been supplied by L.B. Bodwell, dealers in coal wood and ice. What ties this implement into the story here told, is the fact that I've observed these rakes in two of Manchester's firehouses. A similar rake still exists in the attic of the West Side Library. There is little question that one existed or still does exist somewhere in the basement of the Weston St. firehouse.
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73 inches from the fire...
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The handle of the "coal rake" should be closely examined, and compared to the next photo below. Differing conditions of the steel tell the story of this artifact's past use.
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Subjected to the flame
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The blade of the coal rake exhibits the qualities of steel which has been subjected to repeated heating; the rust present is far more pourus and is flaking, unlike the handle, six feet away. It is from the condition of the steel that the use of the object is assumed.
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Artistry lost to the ages.....
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There are those details which capture the admiration of the history buff, that others simply do not see in the same light. This canopy over the rear door does just that.
While it is not especially elaborate, it is a detail seen here on this date which somehow remained for a century. Clearly in poor condition, and overgrown by vines, it is fun to image the shelter it once provided to the firemen who huddled beneath, seeking shelter from the rain in between alarms.
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Finely Crafted
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....were these brackets believed to be an original feature. These details exhibit a relatively thin paint layer, as seems to be the case throughout the structure. Photo April 9, 2006.
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Standing guard.....
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Their eyes plying the horizon, firemen no doubt spotted countless forest fires from the top deck of the "Drill Tower". On a footprint of roughly 144 square feet, it rises 60 feet above Wilson Hill. Due to its height, this structure of reinforced concrete decking and steel framing served the department's communications needs very well, in later years.
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Firmly rooted
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One of the four feet which affix the steel to the concrete base. The steel thickness of these legs falls within three-eighths and one half inch. It stands straight as an arrow to this day, and has been admired by other ham radio operators for as long as it has stood.
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Rising Like Smoke
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....above the east side of Manchester has been the observation tower for 75 years. The trees that are soon to exceed the tower's height have been growing at a very steady pace. Even in the late 1980's this tower was clearly visible from many vantage points on the east and west sides. This view is one of few still possible from any significant distance. To photograph this is quite another matter.
This image was created from the corner of Valley and Lincoln Sts. somewhere near a mile away. While this shoddy, yet clever method of photography is difficult to execute, it can yield some fine results if you're patient enough: I use a simple point-and-shoot 3.1 megapixel camera through a 15 power pair of binoculars. Many other images of this gallery were created by fully manual Pentax K1000 SLR camera bodies onto Fuji Reala 100 ASA color print film.
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As seen from another angle
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The tower as seen from Circular Drive, just opposite Hillside Jr. High School. This image is meant to illustrate the height of the tower above the neighborhood.
A later addition to the station, the tower was constructed in 1921 through a $6,000 bond to be paid back to the city over nine years, with interest of 5% per annum. Built primarily for training purposes, it undoubtedly was used for observation, and hose hanging as well.
So we've explored a few angles of the station as it appears in the present day, it's future apparently up in the air. Of particular significance is that this station, the first to be built in the 20th century, represents a change in the style of firehouses in Manchester; the pattern would continue as subsequent stations were erected. This structure's style might be best described as a Vernacular Renaissance Revival. (Linda Wilson, New Hampshire Division of Historic Resources, Concord) Gone were the Victorian gables and steeple-like towers on the stations of North Main St, Lake Avenue and Webster Street. Wooden hose houses such as those on South Elm St, Maple St and Front St were no longer being built. This was a different time, in which fire suppression was on the brink of major technological advances, demanding larger, more sophisticated apparatus.
Now, turn the page back nearly a century to a mere glimpse into the history of this unique edifice. Then, decide for yourself, if this should remain the "Pride Of the Hill", and if there's reason enough to save it.
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Comment List
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Will Morin
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08.10.2006 17:34
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I used to go to McDonough Elementry here in Manchester.The old fire house was a staple of my childhood.The stories surrounding it's dark windows, and the gray steel giant that stood next to it are still echoing my mind to this day.
I just went on a walk to get some photos, only to find that i missed the oportunity. Now all that remains is a bare lot, with a sprinkler spraying to grow grass that will cover up what was one of Manchesters historic treasures. Shame on City Hall for removing this gem!!
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Marion Gustafson
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05.17.2006 20:15
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I am the daughter of the late Albin Henry Gustafson, who retired as a Captain of the Manchester Fire Department. His dad, my grandfather Alfred Gustafson was also a Captain of the Manchester Fire Department and at the time of his death in 1915 he was the Captain of Wilson Hill Engine House. He is also one of the firefighters who gave his life in the line of duty and is listed on the Plaque of Central Fire Station. He left a wife and 9 children. My dad has told me many a story about the fun times at this Fire House (I believe at the time it was Hose 2)
I think that the city needs to give a great deal of thought before demolishing this landmark.
My dad was stationed at different times at Engine 10 (Wilson Hill) Engine 3 (Lake Ave. now demolished) Engine 8 (now a Latin Organization) and Ladder #1 (Vine St. now demolished).
The City of Manchester never seems to have the money to take care of many historic buildings. Don't they have any feelings for their history. I was born and brought up here in Manchester and find that many, many buildings have been razed to make way for better (?) developments.
We do need to preserve some of our history. Use the firehouse as a Memorial to our dedicated firefighters, past, present, and future.
Marion Gustafson Russell
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Greg Barrett
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05.12.2006 20:00
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20-25 years ago I offered to purchase & restore this importent city landmark into housing. I gave up trying to get the city to return any of my phone calls.
I recently stated in interviews with the Hippo & the Manchester Mirror that unlike 20 years ago it was my belief that todays mayor & alderman had a deep respect and appreciation for our grand historic heritage. The vote to demolish the Weston Fire station painfully illustrates once again our city officials have not learned lessons about our unique architectural heritage. The Fire station MUST be retained or it's time to start holding our elected officials accountable.
Greg Barrett
Kas-Bar Realty
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Nicole Blanchette
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05.03.2006 23:33
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As a girl who grew up around this Firehouse I want nothing more than to see it saved and turned into a museum for all the people to enjoy as I did. I can still rememver all the fun the Fire Fighters used to have with us as children in the area, they let up slide down the firepole and climb the tower. Some of my fondest child hood memories are in that station and always will be. Please SAVE THE FIREHOUSE!!!!!!!!!!
Thank you Joe for bringing this to the attention of all, this would be a horrible injustice in Manchester. Keep up the good work.
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