Firefighting Museum of Dutchess County
(Antique Firehouse & Firefighting Museum)
P.O. Box 2435
Poughkeepsie, NY 12601
https://dchsny.org/firemuseum/
https://www.facebook.com/DutchessCountyFirefightingMuseum/
The Firefighting Museum of Dutchess County (Dutchess County Firefighting Museum) right now is a work in progress for the organization. It is a traveling museum until a new home is built for it so all the objects in the collection are in storage. They come out when members of the museum’s organization can mount the show of their objects. I met fire fighters from companies all over Dutchess County who are dedicated in showing the history of their departments and of fire fighting over the years.
I met up with them at the Dutchess County Fair in 2019 and again 2022. The picture above is what the organization has proposed as their new building. At this writing, the Dutchess County Fairgrounds Management has proposed to build them a new building on the Fair Grounds with the stipulation that it remain open when the fair grounds are being used and closed when they are not being used. It will be part of the Century Museum Village & Collectors Association to include a reproduction of a late 19th Century firehouse and museum of firefighting memorabilia.
The antique firehouse will join the Pleasant Valley Railroad Station, the Mount Ross Schoolhouse, the Washington Hollow Fair Judging Gazebo and the Century Museum.
Dutchess County Firefighters Museum logo
Right now, the organization is operating in a traveling tent on the Fair Grounds and has an interesting combination of equipment, medals, horns and firefighting objects from the 1800 and 1900’s. It really is an interesting way to see how firefighting from the past relates to today and how much really has not changed. There were three different pieces of equipment on display: an old Ladder Truck from the 1890’s, a pumper from 1902 and an old hose bed that must have been around 1896.
There were old fire horns used long before traditional fire whistles and modern pagers, firefighting ribbons and awards, old buckets and hoses for moving water and lots of pictures of old fires. The members were explaining to me that they take the objects out at all sorts of town and county functions to promote the museum. It will be in a traveling tent until a new home is built for the museum. Until then, look to their Facebook page for more details.
Fire equipment from the fair grounds
History of the Dutchess County Firefighting Museum:
The Dutchess County Agricultural Society Inc. (DCAS) and the Century Museum Village & Collectors Association will be growing The Antique Village, located on the Dutchess County Fairgrounds which will include a reproduction of a late 19th Century Firehouse and museum of Firefighting memorabilia.
The Antique Firehouse will join the Pleasant Valley Railroad Station, the Mt. Ross Schoolhouse, Washington Hollow Fair Judging Gazebo and the Century Museum.
This grouping of special buildings on the Fairgrounds has been dedicated to preserving life in the late 1800’s in Dutchess County and sharing it with the over 500,000 visitors to the Dutchess County Fairgrounds over the course of the year.
The Firehouse Project Research and artifact collection is underway, and the Fairgrounds is committed to adding to Dutchess County’s Fire Service history.
The project’s estimated cost is $275,000. Every dollar donated to the Firehouse fund helps make the dream of a projected Grand Opening for the 175th anniversary of the Dutchess County Fair in 2020.
Special Firefighting “Coins” have been minted commemorating different fire stations, historic Dutchess County firefighting events and the dream of the Antique Fire Station and Museum. You can be a part of this exciting project by purchasing coins or making a tax-deductible donation.
Disclaimer: This information is taken directly from the Antique Firehouse & Firefighting Museum of the Dutchess County Fair Grounds, and I give them full credit for it. The above picture is of the original proposed design for the museum and will be changed once the new building is built.
Visiting a Museum: The Unique, Unusual, Obscure and Historical 
Please be on the look out for more changes on this site as the new building is built on the fair grounds.
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Reblogged this on The Bergen County Firemen's Home Association and commented:
Another great Fire Fighter Museum!
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It was nice talking my fellow firefighters again at the Dutchess County Fair in 2022. It looks like progress has been made on the new museum.
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