Est. 1886
Celebrating 140 Years
1886 — 2026
For 140 years, the Navesink Hook & Ladder Co. #1 has answered the call to serve and protect our community. To mark this milestone, company President Joe McCarron has been sharing our history with members through a weekly email series. We've gathered those stories here — a look back at the people, the apparatus, and the traditions that make Navesink who we are. Tap any photo to view it larger.
1976
The Bicentennial
As America marks its 250th birthday, we look back 50 years to the Bicentennial. At the 1976 MTFD Field Day, Navesink placed 1st in Water Drafting, and took home 3rd place in the "Floats" category at the Middletown Township Bicentennial Parade.
Happy Birthday, America — we're proud to celebrate our 140 years as a part of it.
1975 & 1995
Engine 111
Two trucks have carried the title of "Engine 111." The 1975 Mack served for twenty years before the 1995 Pierce took her place — the Mack went on to continue her service in South America, while the Pierce can still be seen around town as an MTFD reserve engine.
1969
A New Firehouse
On July 12, 1969, the company celebrated the dedication of our current firehouse, built on the land directly behind our previous home.
The meeting minutes from those months capture the little decisions of a big project — the color of the roof, the paneling in the new meeting room, and giving away the old furnace, boiler, and garage doors that were no longer needed.
1968
The Navesink Cannonball
First mentioned at a monthly meeting on October 5, 1967 and purchased soon after for $400, the Navesink Cannonball has become a staple of our annual Fair — and of the company itself.
After the Train Committee laid the track, she made her inaugural run on August 8, 1968: 1,144 passengers over three nights. Believed to be about 20 years old when we bought her, she had previously run at Scenic Drive in Highlands and at Seaside Heights, and was converted from electric to gasoline power.
In the 58 years since, generations have delighted in the ride. At our 125th Anniversary in 2011, every member climbed aboard for a special trip.
1960
The Mack Wet-Down
A June 9, 1960 article in the Courier reported on the wet-down of our new '60 Mack. Delivered that January, her arrival drew a crowd of over 1,000 people.
The Mack cost $25,000 — twelve years of saving to afford her — and made Navesink a three-truck company, joining the '32 Seagrave and the '48 Mack.
1924
The Buffalo Reo
Exactly one hundred years ago — on August 23, 1926 — the company held a special meeting for the purpose of paying bills. The most important of the night: the final payment on our 1924 Buffalo Reo fire truck.
A few weeks later, the members voted to hold a turkey supper to celebrate finally paying her off.
1891
The Original Wall Clock
Our "Connecticut"-style New American Regulator — an 8-day time-piece and calendar clock built in the late 1800s — is believed to be the very same clock that hung in our first firehouse in 1891.
Out of service for more than 25 years, it was recently brought back to life by the Avon Clock Shop, thanks to Scott Sieh heading up the effort. Wound once a week, it once again keeps both the time and the date. Stop by the meeting room and see it swing.
Here's to the Next 140 Years
From a single clock in an 1891 firehouse to the trucks, traditions, and volunteers of today, Navesink Hook & Ladder Co. #1 has been built by generations of neighbors giving their time to protect this community.
Thank you to every member, past and present, for 140 years of service.
History stories courtesy of the company's weekly history series by President Joe McCarron.
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NAVESINK HOOK & LADDER COMPANY #1 INCORPORATED
Station 1, Middletown Township Fire Department
Established 1886