In the mid-1980s, we formed a committee of the Singerly Fire Company in Elkton to gear up for the organization’s 1992 centennial celebration. While the committee planned a cluster of traditional initiatives, the working group also developed two larger heritage-related goals.
One involved restoring two priceless hand pumpers, veterans of many of a fight with the flames and smoke in Elkton. Since the 1820s when the first Hydraulion arrived from Philadelphia, the centuries moved rapidly along, human and animal power giving way to motorized units and the alarm bell and steam whistle fading as electronic signals took over. But these aging relics stayed with us, although by the late 1900s they were in need of restoration.
The Department also had heritage collections, items such as photos, movie footage, and material resources, all reflective of the fire service traditions. So it was time to open a museum.
As volunteers fundraising was our first obligation, for it required a substantial budget to accomplish these objectives. Thus we launched an annual antiques show and a Paper Americana Show. Both highly successful events helped underwrite these initiatives, and they continue to this day.
Yesterday, the Paper Americana show returned to Elkton for its 28th run (the Antiques show started a few years earlier). This show is one that is particularly important to me, as someone always on the lookout for photographs, postcards, newspapers, advertising pieces, books, and ephemera for my local collection, as well as interesting visuals for lectures and talks. In those pre-Internet days we didn’t have Ebay so you attended shows and auctions, and searched print catalogues.
Each year we planned the show, recruited quality dealers and managed the operation. I also had a great chance for doing some double duty, quality shopping time. Since we started the venture, I have never missed one, although after a few years I handed off management of the event to Gerri Ayers. She has stayed with it for decades, continuing to capably oversee the fundraising initiative in a changing marketplace.
As the date approaches I start looking forward to seeing some of the outstanding Delaware and Maryland materials. Over the decades several dealers, such as Neil Boyle and his wife, have been my source of superb Delmarva items, adding substantially to my collection. Neil always had the best inventory of real photo cards of any dealer in the show, in those earlier years.
In more recent times, another generation has brought their inventory to the show. Steven Cohen and his wife Pam and Mary Martin Postcards are some of those vendors. They too have an enjoyable high quality collections available.
Saturday was a great day for browsing, acquiring materials, and enjoying knowledgeable discussions about the region’s history and its paper collectibles, all while continuing to support fire service tradition now nearly 30 years on.
