The Eagle Fire Company was first organized on May 30, 1904 when a group of 24 young men, from 10 to 15 years of age, decided to form a fire company. Albert Leroy Dietz was appointed President. The boys devised a fire apparatus by converting a large express wagon, which was drawn by a large bird dog named Dash, who was trained so the driver could handle him in the same manner as a fire horse. Dash was owned by Dietz’s father.
The first home of the Eagle was in a 12 foot by 14 foot tent on the lot of Mr. George E. Neff, adjoining the Dietz home in the 300 block of West Jackson Street. About a year later, when Dietz’s father saw that the boys were serious in their endeavor, allowed the boys to use his barn as their first real building.
On February 22, 1907, the Rescue Fire Company presented the Eagle boys with a “Spider” hose cart. The first fire the Eagle helped to fight was the Black’s Paper Mill fire on July 31, 1907, which burned for two days. The fire increased the boys’ interest in more formally organizing their fire company.
By 1909, enough money had been subscribed for the Eagle to purchase a hose wagon, which was built by Martin F. Paup and delivered on Christmas morning. As this section of the city was fast growing, the boys sought out older men to join the company, and in a very short time the company membership was increased to 152 members, 112 of which were land owners.
On June 5, 1911, the Eagle Fire Company was officially chartered through the Court of Common Pleas of York County. On September 14, 1911, the Eagle Fire Company No. 7 was admitted to the York Fire Department.
The South Side Land Improvement Company donated land at the intersection of Jackson Street and Jessop Place to the Eagle, and a fire station was erected. The new engine house was dedicated on October 21, 1912.
On October 18, 1913, a combination chemical and hose car built by the Martin Carriage Works of West York was delivered and put into service on the same day. The Eagle would hold the unique distinction of converting from hand-drawn to motorized equipment without ever having horse-drawn apparatus.
In October of 1942 construction was started on an addition to the Eagle station, which increased the depth of the engine bay and added on to the second floor living space. The remodeled station was dedicated on July 4 and 5, 1943.
In 1991, after several years of part-time career staffing, the Eagle fire station was permanently closed and its apparatus placed into reserve status. The Eagle still meets regularly at the Goodwill station, and members continue to actively serve in the department.
