Mt. Holly - Releif Fire House 1752
N 39° 59.534 W 074° 47.009
18S E 518483 N 4426917
Relief Fire Company No. 1, 1789
This is the oldest continuously used active volunteer fire company in the United States. It was organized in 1752 as Britannia Fire Company. The original firehouse sits next to the present firehouse building which dates back to 1892.
Waymark Code: WM8Q9
Location: New Jersey, United States
Date Posted: 03/11/2006
Views: 54
On July 11, 1752, the Britannia Fire Co. was organized in the town of Bridgetown, this was the beginning of our existence as a fire fighting unit. This only equipment we has at that time to put fires out were leather buckets which were kept at the homes of the firefighters. The first firehouse which we had is still in existence and is located on our property.
After the United States won its freedom from Great Britain, and a few months prior to the ratification of the Constitution by the state of New Jersey, we decided to change the name Britannia Fire Co. because the name reminded the members of Great Britain, so at the meeting of April 7 1787, the name Mount Holly Fire Co. was adopted and a few years later the townsmen received "Permission" from the Fire Company to name the Town "Mount Holly".
The Town had grown continually since 1752, and in 1805 another fire company was organized in Mount Holly
so in order to keep our Fire company from losing its identity we were once again confronted with changing our name. This time we changed from Mount Holly Fire Co. to Relief Fire Engine Co. No. 1, as we have been known since May 9, 1805.
Now after 250 years as a fire fighting unit, we are all proud to be members of the Oldest Active Volunteer Fire Company in Continuous services in the United States.
The Relief Fire Company is the oldes active volunteer fire company in the United States. The name has changed over the years. In 1787, it was changed from the Britania Fire Company to the Mount Holly Fire Company. Finally, after 1805, it was known as the Relief Fire Company.