In 1845, a series of disastrous fires nearly crippled the economy of Bristol. Earlier in the century, the community had become one of the leading clock producers in the world, and this astounding success spawned many other local businesses. As the factories multiplied, so did the need for fire protection; unfortunately, when the whirlwind of fires struck, Bristol was unprepared and suffered heavy losses. Yet, it was not until eight years later that three prominent businessmen took the first steps toward organizing a fire company: in September 1853, a firehouse was built on School Street and...
In 1845, a series of disastrous fires nearly crippled the economy of Bristol. Earlier in the century, the community had become one of the leading cloc...
