Former Yosemite fire chief to give presentation on historic local fires

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Arnold Stoddard, the last fire chief of Chester’s historic Firehouse No. 2, also known as the Yosemite Firehouse on Route 103 in Chester, will give a presentation on the region’s memorable fires from 4 to 5:30 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 21 at Chester Town Hall, 556 Elm St. in Chester.

Stoddard’s presentation will also include photos and newsclippings from his private album and will include fires that occurred in Proctorsvillle, Springfield and Weathersfield as well as Chester.  Included in the presentation will be a discussion of the Buttonwood Farm house fire and the propane tank explosion, both of which happened in Chester.

This is the first program offered by the Friends of Yosemite Firehouse Museum, a charitable organization formed to rehabilitate the 140-year-old into a fire museum.

The wood-framed Yosemite firehouse, which closed in the 1960s, bears two towers, one for the bell and one for drying fire hoses.