As of this week, the Oakland Volunteer Fire Department has been serving the community for 125 years.
It officially organized on May 24, 1894, after a front-page announcement about a meeting appeared in The Republican. A group of 18 men reportedly attended, and the minutes stated that G.T. Jones “gave the meeting a very pleasant talk and valuable advice.”
According to a booklet published by the department for its 100th anniversary, a fire truck was actually purchased by the Town Council earlier that year. Until that time, fire suppression was attempted using bucket brigades with any men who were available at the time.
The Republican reported on March 22 that the hook-and-ladder truck had arrived, but the engine that was shipped from Chicago at the same time “went astray on the way here.”