On the morning of October 6, 1946, Charles Huiest was walking down Main Street in Vischer Ferry, heading to meet the school bus at the General Store. As he approached, he encountered charred embers and ash scattered across the road. His heart sank as he glimpsed the remnants of the Vischer Ferry Hotel across the street, still smoldering from a fire that had raged through the night. All that remained of the 150-year-old landmark was a solitary chimney.

The devastation of the hotel galvanized the Vischer Ferry community to establish their own fire company. While volunteer fire companies had existed in East Coast cities since the 18th century, urban fire fighters had long been paid professionals. In rural areas, neighbors would traditionally band together to combat fires until the advent of fire trucks and other firefighting apparatus in the early 20th century.

Rural volunteer fire companies not only tackled fires but also maintained the equipment necessary for firefighting. They served a crucial social function as well, fostering camaraderie through parades, contests, dances, parties, fundraisers, and other gatherings, creating a strong sense of community.

In many rural areas, civic life often revolves around two central institutions: the church and the fire company. The Vischer Ferry Fire Company was the fourth and final fire company to be established in Clifton Park.

The Jonesville Fire Company was founded in 1918 following the destruction of the Jonesville Hotel by fire in 1915. The Rexford Fire Company was formed in 1923 after a cement shed burned that same year. The Clifton Park Fire Company was established in 1937.

When the Vischer Ferry Hotel caught fire, both Rexford and Jonesville responded, but by the time they arrived, the blaze had already reached the cellar. The hotel, a popular restaurant and bar, was a significant loss for the community.

The idea for the Vischer Ferry Fire Company was sparked by the Young Couples Club, a social group founded in 1944 that brought together local residents for card games, dances, and socializing—activities that defined leisure time before television.

Key members of the Young Couples Club included Bill and Dot Bloodgood, Joe and Elnora Jerome, Ray and Lorraine Jerome, Lathrop and Dot Shippee, and Frank and Alma Fountain.

In early 1947, a 1937 USA pumper fire truck was auctioned at the Schenectady Army Depot. Jim Keeler Sr. invested $700 of his own money to purchase it, marking the beginning of the fire company’s vehicle fleet. Joe Jerome retrieved the truck in early March, grappling with frozen tires and using jumper cables to start it. The truck, which had no roof or windshield, was initially stored in Skip and Ella Fellow’s barn on Riverview Road.

By late spring 1947, the town granted the fire company use of the Town Hall on Riverview Road as its first fire station (Station 1A). Originally built in the late 1920s or early 1930s as a community meeting place, the Town Hall was modified to accommodate fire equipment. In 1950, with the acquisition of a 1935 White tanker, the building was further adapted.

Funds for firefighting equipment were raised through pancake breakfasts, minstrel shows at the Grange Hall, and raffles organized by the Young Couples Club. The Vischer Ferry Volunteer Fire Company was officially incorporated on July 14, 1947, with Bert Male as its first president, Stanley Edwards as the first chief, Joseph Jerome as the first deputy chief, and Frank Fountain as the first secretary.

In 1948, the ladies auxiliary was established to support the fire company by providing refreshments at major fires and engaging in social activities. Founding members included Betty Mayo, Lorraine Jerome, Elnora Jerome, and Ruby Jerome.

In 1951, the fire company transitioned its equipment to a tax district, introducing fire commissioners to oversee financial support. A 1941 fire truck was later added to the fleet, and plans for a larger firehouse were set in motion. Fundraising efforts at Exit 8 of the Northway, which had recently opened, contributed to the construction of a new firehouse on the old hotel site in 1963. The project included a substation on Vischer Ferry Road, with the total cost for both firehouses amounting to $45,000.

Charles Huiest, who became fire chief in 1960, creatively used parts from an alarm clock and a vacuum cleaner to set up sirens. The firehouse underwent further expansion in 1974, adding a recreation area and a bar. The new bar was humorously hoisted into place by crane, completing a full circle as it stood on the very site of the hotel’s former bar.

As the community developed, the Moe Road Station was built in 1982. The first female members, Denise Lombardi and Karan Donohue, joined the fire company in 1984, with Karan notably resubmitting her application several times before being accepted. Today, the Vischer Ferry Fire Company has two women among its 60 active members, plus 15 social and life members.

Among the notable fires was the 1975 blaze that engulfed the Grooms Church on Vischer Ferry Road, then a furniture store called The Deacon’s Bench, lighting up the night sky. In the late 1980s, a fire at Grooms Tavern (Klingbiel’s store) spared most of the historic building.

As the Vischer Ferry Fire Company celebrates its 50th anniversary, preparations are underway to move into a newly remodeled firehouse, designed to harmonize with the surrounding Greek Revival architecture of the Vischer Ferry Historic District. This new building represents both the pride of the fire company and a testament to its enduring community spirit.

This account draws on and is reproduced with permission from an article by John L. Scherer, town historian of Clifton Park, published in the Community News on July 11, 1997.