{"id":74956,"date":"2019-09-01T07:32:29","date_gmt":"2019-09-01T11:32:29","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.owegopennysaver.com\/PS\/?p=74956"},"modified":"2019-09-02T08:24:35","modified_gmt":"2019-09-02T12:24:35","slug":"historic-weekend-in-owego-celebrates-iconic-fountain","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.owegopennysaver.com\/PS\/2019\/09\/01\/historic-weekend-in-owego-celebrates-iconic-fountain\/","title":{"rendered":"Historic weekend in Owego celebrates iconic fountain"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

When the Owego Hose Team set out to restore the iconic Baker Fireman\u2019s Fountain no one imagined the journey and final result that was on full display in downtown Owego this past weekend at the fountain\u2019s re-dedication. Standing protectively over the village in the Courthouse Square, hundreds gathered to pay tribute to the historic landmark last weekend.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Contributed
The Baker Fireman\u2019s Fountain. (Photo by Wendy Post)<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

The Owego Jayncess had floodlights installed at the fountain site in 1954 and the lighting returned Thursday night. Electric and plumbing was supplied to the site by Roy Legursky of Legursky & Sons for a new pump and lights that will illuminate the fountain from sunset to sunup.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Contributed
The fountain is lit for the first\u00a0time since the 1950s. Provided photo.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Judy Legursky, on behalf of Legursky & Sons, along with Hunter Morris, son of Owego Fire Chief and hose team member Jim Morris, flipped the switch and the lights brought the fountain to life in the evening air, dazzling onlookers.   <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Contributed
The oldest and youngest Baker family members turn the fountain water on.\u00a0Pictured, are Past Owego Fire Chief Danny Gavin, Frieda Baker with daughter Dale Williams, and Amy Gavin with daughters Sara and Anna. Provided photo.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

The Baker Fireman\u2019s Fountain, depicting a firefighter holding a child, is often described as the symbol of Owego and its community minded residents standing for the spirit of volunteerism that makes Owego great.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Contributed
The fountain\u2019s 105th\u00a0birthday cake from What\u2019s in Store in Owego. Provided photo.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

The fountain was given to the Village of Owego and its firefighters in 1914 by Frank M. Baker as a memorial to his son, George Hobart Baker, who was killed in an automobile accident in 1913. Both men had been members and chief engineers of the Owego Fire Department. The fountain was last restored in 2000 and turned 105 years old last Monday.   <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Contributed
The Owego Hose Teams. (Photo by Wendy Post)<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

A 250-person gala dinner was held Friday night at the VFW Post 1371 Hall on Main Street where special presentations were made to fountain restoration contributors in attendance. Grayden Stanton was awarded a $1,000 scholarship from the hose team for his work in raising funds for the fountain.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Contributed
Pictured, is the Owego Hose Teams in the parade. Provided photo.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Stanton, as an elementary grade student at the time, rallied his friends to pitch in and help with the project. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Contributed
Grayden Stanton receives a scholarship from hose team Captain Pat Gavin. Provided photo.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Other contributors and Baker family members, some who traveled as far away as Texas and Arizona to attend the festivities, were given an original brick and certificate from the fountain\u2019s foundation. These bricks were manufactured from the Brick Pond in the Turtle Town area of the village and were in place for 104 years prior to the fountain\u2019s removal last year for its restoration.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Contributed
Alvin Smith, Nick Riegel, and Pat and Danny Gavin complete in a hose cart race.\u00a0Provided photo.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

The Beatles Band closed out Friday\u2019s celebration with a cake made at What\u2019s in Store, and shaped in complete replica of the fountain site.   <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Contributed
A wreath is placed at the Baker Fireman\u2019s Fountain during the ceremony last Saturday. (Photo by Wendy Post)<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

The Saturday rededication ceremony began at 9 a.m. at the fountain with hose team member, past President and Life Member of Croton Hose Co. #3, Jim Franz, officiating. The Owego Free Academy Band provided prelude entertainment with refreshments from Mister Koffee Service.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Contributed
A wreath is placed at the Baker Fireman\u2019s Fountain during the ceremony last Saturday. (Photo by Wendy Post)<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Local dignitaries with elected and fire officials addressed attendees. Hose team Captain and fountain restoration lead Patrick Gavin challenged attendees and village officials to keep up on the fountain maintenance so the fountain will last another generation and beyond.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Contributed
Pictured, Frieda Baker and her daughter, Dale Williams, are lead to the front of the fountain by Past Owego Fire chief Danny Gavin. (Photo by Wendy Post)<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

A highlight of the ceremony included a wreath laying in honor of Owego\u2019s five fallen firefighters led by Past Owego Fire Chief Ken Easton, and as a bagpiper played Amazing Grace<\/em>. The oldest living Baker descendent, Frieda Baker, who turns 99 years old this September with two of the Baker family\u2019s youngest generation, Anna and Sara Gavin, turned the fountain water on, completing the ceremony.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Contributed
A close up view of the fountain\u2019s details. (Photo by Wendy Post)<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Following the ceremony, a firefighter\u2019s parade took place downtown. Local antique fire apparatus from the area along with the Owego Fire Department and Owego Hose Team units headlined the parade. Hose team members proudly carried a life size cardboard cutout of the fountain fireman atop their 1969 Mack pumper to the parade watchers delight. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Contributed
The Baker Family that attended last Saturday\u2019s ceremony and their descendants. (Photo by Wendy Post)<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

A firematic hose race took place on lower Front Street with three teams from Owego and a team called \u201cThe Shenanigans,\u201d made up of Tioga County Firefighters competing in the races. Hose races are timed events where firefighters test their skills. Teams of five members must connect nozzles to hoses, hoses to hoses, and hoses to the fire hydrant, and knock down targets in the quickest time in the ladder, wye, and straight lay competitions. Hose races improve basic firefighting skills.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Contributed
The Firefighter\u2019s Parade. (Photo by Wendy Post)<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

The Owego Company #1 team of Dayton Coney, Dan Gavin, Pat Gavin, Charlie Olmstead, and Alvin Smith edged out the Company #3A team with first place finishes in the ladder and hose cart races and second in the wye.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Contributed
The Owego Hose Teams in the Firefighter\u2019s Parade. (Photo by Wendy Post)<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Retired hose racers Larry Ferguson and Steve Tiffany were called into action to assist the #1\u2019s team due to injuries. Ferguson and Tiffany hadn\u2019t missed a beat carrying #1 to victory.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Contributed
The Shenanigan\u2019s prepare for the hose race last weekend in Owego. (Photo by Patricia Williams)<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

At the end of the hose race an after party will took place at the Rainbow Trail with music by The Gents. One attendee remarked, \u201cOne of the most nostalgic sights of \u2018home\u2019 to a returning Owegoan is the stalwart fireman fountain.\u201d The fireman stands proudly again as a testament to the community who rallied to save it.    <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Contributed
Ken and Donna Easton were in town for last weekend\u2019s celebration in Owego. Ken Easton, a former Owego Fire Chief, spoke during the ceremony. (Photo by Wendy Post)<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Additional work on the fountain will take place this fall to include sealing and painting the fountain pool, poly sanding and sealing the bricks, and resolving a minor drain problem. The hose teams ask for patience while these tasks are completed.  <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

When the Owego Hose Team set out to restore the iconic Baker Fireman\u2019s Fountain no one imagined the journey and final result that was on…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":74975,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"ngg_post_thumbnail":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-74956","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news"],"yoast_head":"\nHistoric weekend in Owego celebrates iconic fountain - Owego Pennysaver Press<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"http:\/\/www.owegopennysaver.com\/PS\/2019\/09\/01\/historic-weekend-in-owego-celebrates-iconic-fountain\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Historic weekend in Owego celebrates iconic fountain - Owego Pennysaver Press\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"When the Owego Hose Team set out to restore the iconic Baker Fireman\u2019s Fountain no one imagined the journey and final result that was on...\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"http:\/\/www.owegopennysaver.com\/PS\/2019\/09\/01\/historic-weekend-in-owego-celebrates-iconic-fountain\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Owego Pennysaver Press\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/The-Owego-Pennysaver-49179420591\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2019-09-01T11:32:29+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2019-09-02T12:24:35+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"http:\/\/www.greenstreetdata.com\/PS\/owego\/files\/2019\/09\/Fountain19.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"3881\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"2903\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"psadvert\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"psadvert\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"6 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"http:\/\/www.owegopennysaver.com\/PS\/2019\/09\/01\/historic-weekend-in-owego-celebrates-iconic-fountain\/\",\"url\":\"http:\/\/www.owegopennysaver.com\/PS\/2019\/09\/01\/historic-weekend-in-owego-celebrates-iconic-fountain\/\",\"name\":\"Historic weekend in Owego celebrates iconic fountain - Owego Pennysaver Press\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"http:\/\/www.owegopennysaver.com\/PS\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"http:\/\/www.owegopennysaver.com\/PS\/2019\/09\/01\/historic-weekend-in-owego-celebrates-iconic-fountain\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"http:\/\/www.owegopennysaver.com\/PS\/2019\/09\/01\/historic-weekend-in-owego-celebrates-iconic-fountain\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"http:\/\/www.greenstreetdata.com\/PS\/owego\/files\/2019\/09\/Fountain19.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2019-09-01T11:32:29+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2019-09-02T12:24:35+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"http:\/\/www.owegopennysaver.com\/PS\/#\/schema\/person\/e03684194434956dfb61f5ffcbc19492\"},\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"http:\/\/www.owegopennysaver.com\/PS\/2019\/09\/01\/historic-weekend-in-owego-celebrates-iconic-fountain\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"http:\/\/www.owegopennysaver.com\/PS\/2019\/09\/01\/historic-weekend-in-owego-celebrates-iconic-fountain\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"http:\/\/www.owegopennysaver.com\/PS\/2019\/09\/01\/historic-weekend-in-owego-celebrates-iconic-fountain\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"http:\/\/www.greenstreetdata.com\/PS\/owego\/files\/2019\/09\/Fountain19.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"http:\/\/www.greenstreetdata.com\/PS\/owego\/files\/2019\/09\/Fountain19.jpg\",\"width\":3881,\"height\":2903,\"caption\":\"Firemen retreat following the hose race held last weekend in Owego, and during the celebration of the Baker Fireman\u2019s Fountain. 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