Preserving Our Past: Westerly Fire Department Historical Committee Prepares for Central Fire Station’s Centennial

Recently, the Westerly Fire Department’s Historical Committee has been ramping up preparations for the 2028 centennial anniversary of the Central Fire Station—our headquarters located in downtown Westerly at 7 Union Street. In addition to monthly articles highlighting department history, past incidents, and former members, the Historical Committee is on a mission to bring our heritage back into the firehouse—history that was largely lost after the 1927 fire that destroyed the original headquarters.

Beyond lists of past Department Chiefs, Assistant Chiefs, and Company Captains, photos of the department’s leadership prior to 1901 have been either lost to time or completely forgotten. This past summer, the Historical Committee began a dedicated project to locate and reproduce portraits of all deceased past Chiefs of Department.

The project begins with the Westerly Fire Department’s very first Chief of Department, Charles Maxson, who served the Westerly Fire District from 1870 to 1874. Maxson was a prominent local businessman who owned the Maxson Company on Main Street and resided at 128 Main Street. His former home—a well-preserved red colonial directly across from the Buckler-Johnston Funeral Home and Midway Pizza—currently houses Laudone Financial. Chief Maxson commanded the department during its pivotal transition from a private fire company to a tax-funded Fire District, moving from private fundraising for apparatus and equipment to a municipal tax base designed to better protect the growing mill town during the post-Civil War industrial boom.

The goal of the Historical Committee, alongside Chief Joseph Fusaro, is to display a portrait of every past Department Chief in the second-floor Great Room at Central Fire Station. At a future date, the department plans to officially rename the space "Chiefs' Hall."

The Historical Committee is still actively searching for photos or portraits of several past Chiefs of Department, including:
William Coy
Walter Wheeler
Robert Mason
George F. Wells
William A. Green

Anyone with historical information, photos, or leads regarding these past leaders is encouraged to contact the department.