Early Meeting Locations:
- Neuhauser Brothers Hardware Store
- J. Harry Weaver’s Garage
- Bird-in-Hand Quaker Meeting House
Early Equipment Storage Locations:
- Frank Shirk’s Shed
- Neuhauser Brothers Repair Shop
For the first 12 years of the Hand-in-Hand Fire Company’s existence, it did not own a building or have an established fire hall. When the men first began meeting, they gathered in Neuhauser Brothers Hardware Store (2701 Old Phila Pike). Later they met in J. Harry Weaver’s Garage (2677 Old Phila. Pike) and the next meeting place was in the Bird-in-Hand Quaker Meeting House.
Frank G. Shirk, first president of the Fire Company, donated a shed to house the firefighting equipment. It was located at 250 Railroad Avenue across the street from the railroad freight station. The 50th Anniversary Celebration booklet describes the location. Before the railroad underpass was built, Railroad Avenue joined the old road (Old Phila. Pike) 10 feet west of and almost level with the eastbound railroad track. On the corner formed by the old road and Railroad Avenue was the Frank Shirk residence. It was on an elevated lot bounded on the east by a five-foot stone wall.
This storage space for the equipment in Frank Shirk’s shed worked out well in the summertime. However, in the winter the water kept in the tank for emergency use froze in the unheated shed. Neuhauser Brothers offered to house the equipment over the winter in their heated repair shop. Records show that the shed was later sold to Jacob K. Beiler for $80.