Volunteer firefighters from eight companies shared memories of fighting a series of arsons 40 years ago at Friendship Hill National Historic Site in Springhill Township during a recent tribute hosted by the National Park Service.
“It was tiring, hot. That time of year made it bad,’’ said Gary Ganoe, Point Marion fire chief.
Fire struck Friendship Hill three days out of four the summer of 1979. The first hit about 5 p.m. Friday, June 29, damaging portions of the roof of the brick and frame sections of the mansion built by Albert Gallatin, Secretary of the Treasury under Presidents Jefferson and Madison.
“I just remember how much fire there was in the building and the amount of effort it took to ventilate the building and put the structure out because the fire had progressed quite a bit before we arrived,’’ said Dan Rockwell, then- assistant chief for Smithfield.