The story at a glance
Built in Boonton.
Rooted in community.
Harmony’s story began with a locally built hand pumper and a modest firehouse in 1894. After a devastating fire in 1902, members rebuilt, kept community traditions alive and moved from hand-powered equipment to modern engines. More than a century of service connects those early volunteers with Company 304 today.
Choose a chapter for a short read, or jump to the apparatus photos below.
1893–1894A hand pumper and a home of their own
Built by Boonton’s Simeon Van Duyne in 1893, Harmony’s hand pumper cost the department $200 and was assigned to the company on September 13, 1894. Before the firehouse was ready, it and 300 feet of hose stayed in Theodore Ringlieb’s barn on West Main Street.
In 1894, Harmony bought a lot at Oak Street and Highland Avenue for $70 and built a firehouse for $560. A $90 hose reel and a $5.25 chief’s leather helmet rounded out the early purchases.
1901–1904Rebuilding after the fire
John E. Dunn served as Harmony’s first Chief from 1901 to 1905. On February 12, 1902, an early-morning fire destroyed the company’s firehouse, furniture and fixtures. Insurance covered $200 of the loss.
Harmony moved temporarily into Norris’ barn on Cedar Street, and South Boonton loaned the company its hand engine. A new firehouse opened on Brook Street, now Boonton Avenue, in 1904.
Early 1900sA company rooted in community
Fundraising helped keep Harmony going, from a performance of Finnegan’s Fortune at the Old Opera House to Fireman’s Day games and Ladies Auxiliary bake sales. The company history traces the carnival’s beginnings to the turn of the century.
Before modern fire alarms, the First Presbyterian Church allowed the department to ring its bells for overnight alarms between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. The firehouse became a neighborhood gathering place, with children playing on its lighted apron.
1916–1957From hand power to modern pumpers
Harmony bought its first motorized fire engine in 1916, believed to be built on a Ford Model T chassis. A 1923 Waterous followed with a 400-gallon-per-minute pump and chemical firefighting equipment.
The 1940 Buffalo introduced cream-colored apparatus to Harmony. A 1957 Seagrave later increased pumping capacity to 750 gallons per minute. Explore the apparatus archive below for photos and highlights.
1967 onwardA shared firehouse and continued innovation
The 1904 firehouse was torn down on February 4, 1967, to make room for a larger building. The company history describes the replacement as a shared home for Harmony, Maxfield Hose & Engine and Maxfield Hook & Ladder, as well as a rehearsal space for the Harmony Senior Drum Corps and an election-day polling place.
The 1976 Great Eastern introduced equipment including a top-mounted pump panel, pre-piped foam and automatic transmission. The 2000 Seagrave, delivered in March 2001, continued that progression with a 1,500-gallon-per-minute pump.
