U H & L Co stickpin

[waywardangler]

I just bought this stickpin commemorating 50 years since this companies inception however, I am not sure what U H & L Co stand for. I thought it would be Union Hook & Ladder Co. but I cannot find any that started in 1861. So U H & L Co may stand for something else but what I do not know. Any guesses? I do not have it yet so I do not know what the back says if anything. The metal portion is about 3/4" long. It is coming from a dealer from SE Wisconsin. The dealer thought they are someone's initials.

[waywardangler]

I have found an old postcard online showing a U. H. & L. Co. building in White Plains, NY. The building pediment looks like it has a date of 1912 along with the initials. I have a query on the White Plains Historical Society forum to see if anyone has any information on this building. The dates would fit as 1861-1911 signifies something like maybe when the old building was razed and in 1912 this building was erected. Generally speaking, 50 year celebrations are odd to commemorate with a pin. Still searching for information but the internet is yielding nothing on this.

[mariok54]

Sorry Wayward ... I'm having no luck at all, wrong side of the pond for it to mean very much to even hazard a guess .... but interesting pin!

[talesofthesevenseas]

Hey Wayward, you might be spot-on with the H&L being for Hook & Ladder. Look at those lower bays in the building. Just right for fire vehicles and the sleeping quarters upstairs. Typical configuration of a fire house.

[talesofthesevenseas]

Found a reference to Union Hook & Ladder Co in this guide to British Columbia.

http://www.archive.org/stream/guidetoprovinceo00tnhi/guidetoprovinceo00tnhi_djvu.txt

Another possibility with the word Union- 1861 was the year the American Civil War started, although I'm not sure if the term Union would have stayed on until 1911.

[waywardangler]

Yeah, I saw that BC reference, Tales. I also saw a lot of other references to Union Hook & Ladder Companies but the year thing is a snag. It seems like there was a Union Hook & Ladder In White Plains, NY also and I did find out it was re-organized in 1883 but no reference as to when it was formed (after 1854 for sure). I do not have much hope on the WP Historical Society forum as the MOST they have had online in one day was 4. Must not be many people interested in their history there.

I also think that building looks like a fire dept bldg, Tales. Time will tell, hopefully.

I did see a reference for the Princeton Fire Dept...it seems years ago there was a "Union" sign in the doorway so their Hook & Ladder Co. took the name "Union Hook & Ladder" even though they were never formally named that. A sign has many powers.

[talesofthesevenseas]

Did you also see that the Wauregan Hook & Ladder Company was formed in 1861 and that they were located on Union Street? Hmm...

http://www.norwichfire.org/1851-1875doc.htm

[waywardangler]

Yes, but I dismissed it because the name was Wauregan. maybe I shouldn't have? Just read it again...seems they disbanded in 1905 so that one is out.

[talesofthesevenseas]

Ah, I missed the 1905 part.

[mart]

I looked but couldn`t find a thing other than what you have already found !!

[mart]

I looked at firehistory.org and there is nothing listed anywhere with 1861 as inception date !! Do you think it could be a persons date of service with UH & L Co. ?? Didn`t check them all for dates started !!

[waywardangler]

50 years is a long time but it is possible I suppose. Still a mystery.

Hmmm, getting closer..."On May 16, 1861, with a number of other young men, he (George R. Crawford) organized the Union Hook and Ladder Company of White Plains, New York." http://www.usgennet.org/usa/topic/historical/southernnewyork/s_ny_35.htm

From http://books.google.com/books?id=sZdMAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA910&lpg=PA910&dq=union+hook+and+ladder+company+1912+white+plains+new+york&source=bl&ots=FukVc5Wwze&sig=XalZUw_SOgHjFfNsX6NXuCBUifg&hl=en&ei=nmqVTcCBI5S00QHOgvnxCw&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=5&ved=0CC0Q6AEwBA#v=onepage&q=union%20hook%20and%20ladder%20company%201912%20white%20plains%20new%20york&f=false
Municipal Journal dated Dec 19, 1912 the following was cut and pieced together...

[waywardangler]

So I have found that this particular Union Hook & Ladder Co. was formed on May 16, 1861 in White Plains, NY and sometime in 1912 a more commodious brick building for the Union Hook & Ladder Co. No.1 was located on the east side of Mamaroneck Ave. in White Plains. I would gather then that this stickpin commemorates the White Plains Union Hook & Ladder Co. from its inception in 1861 thru 1911 until it moved into new quarters in 1912. Not written in stone but I think this is a pretty good case for the engraving on the stickpin.

Without the power of the internet, this information would have been almost impossible to put together in my opinion.

[mariok54]

Well done Wayward! Isn't it odd, that Hook & Ladder means nothing over here ... I certainly wouldn't have associated it with fire stations etc! As I've alwayssaid, I learn something new almost every time I visit this site ... and you're right Wayward, the Internet has its evils (used to make my job very difficult), but it is also a fantastic reservoir!

[talesofthesevenseas]

Great job researching!