# grafton-wi

 

Forming the Grafton Fire Department

June 26, 1896

A group of concerned men met on June 26, 1896, in a hall owned by R.E. Schnabel. A committee was formed to draft a Constitution and By-Laws.

The Birth of the Grafton Fire Department

July 1, 1896

On July 1, 1896, community members again met to approve and adopt the Constitution and By-Laws. This, then, was the "birth" of the Grafton Fire Department.

Grafton's 1st Fire Chief: William Weber

July 1, 1896 to July 14, 1899

Grafton's First Firehouse

Circa 1896 to Circa 1909

Learn more about the first firehouse in Grafton, Wis.

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1899 Ozaukee and Washington County Firemen's Tournament

June 18, 1899

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Grafton's 2nd Fire Chief: C.C. Doctor

July 14, 1899 to July 13, 1900

 

Grafton's 3rd Fire Chief: Joseph Sphen

July 13, 1900 to December 31, 1903

Grafton's 4th Fire Chief: William Weber

Circa 1903/1904 to July 8th, 1904

Grafton's 5th Fire Chief: Joseph Sphen

July 8, 1904 to July 13, 1906

Engine 1 - The Department's Original Fire Engine

Circa 1905 to Circa 1967

Between 1904 and 1910, a horse-drawn engine with a gasoline powered, 3 cylinder piston pump was obtained by the department.

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Grafton's 6th Fire Chief: August Ploeger

July 14, 1905 to July 13, 1906

Grafton's 7th Fire Chief: Gust. Clausing

July 13, 1906 to July 12, 1907

Grafton's 8th Fire Chief: William Weber

July 12, 1907 to July 14, 1911

Rumors that old public school house to become engine house

September 16, 1908

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Bids to Remodel School to Engine House and Village Hall

March 3, 1909

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Grafton's Second Firehouse

Circa 1909 to Circa 1950

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Grafton's 9th Fire Chief: M.P. Hollrith

July 14, 1911 to July 13, 1913

Fire Destroys Grafton Foundry & Iron Works

July 29, 1911

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Grafton's 10th Fire Chief: William Weber

July 13, 1913 to July 13, 1917

Grafton's 11th Fire Chief: Otto Just

July 13, 1917 to July 9, 1920

 

Grafton's 12th Fire Chief: Charles Tillman

July 9, 1920 to November 11, 1921

Grafton's 13th Fire Chief: William Weber

November 11, 1921 to July 11, 1924

1923 Stutz Model D

Circa 1923 to December 1959

Unit 2 served as a combination chemical & pumper from approximately 1923 to 1959.

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Grafton's 14th Fire Chief: Henry Wegner

July 11, 1924 to September 12, 1924

Grafton's 15th Fire Chief: William Weber

September 12, 1924 to July 10, 1925

Grafton's 16th Fire Chief: C.O. Melkers

July 10, 1925 to July 9, 1932

1928 Election of Officers at Annual Meeting

July 1928

In July of 1928, the Grafton Fire Department held its annual meeting and elected officers for the year.

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Grafton's 17th Fire Chief: William Weiss

July 9, 1932 to July 8, 1938

Grafton's 18th Fire Chief: William Hilgart

July 8, 1938 to July 12, 1961

 

Chief Hilgart - President of WI State Fire Chiefs Assoc.

1943 to 1944

Chief William Hilgart was elected on July 28th, 1943 to become the president of the Wisconsin State Fire Chiefs association.

 

Grafton's Third Firehouse

Circa May 1951 to Circa 1998

 

Grafton's 19th Fire Chief: Carl Wegner

July 12, 1961 to December 9, 1987

 

Training Burn on 13th Avenue

Circa 1974

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Fire at Froggy's

Circa 1978

Fire occurred in the Town of Cedarburg at 5 Corners.

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1981 Pierce Arrow

Circa 1981 to Circa 2003

865 was a 2,000 GPM pumper that served from 1981 until 2003.

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Grafton's 20th Fire Chief: Richard Bulgrin

December 9, 1987 to December 14, 1995

1988 Pierce Lance

Circa 1988 to Circa 2013

866 served the Grafton area from appromately 1988 to 2013.

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Grafton's 21st Fire Chief: Lawrence Williams

December 14, 1995 to December 12, 2002

Grafton's Fourth Firehouse

Circa 1999 to Present

 

Grafton's 22nd Fire Chief: David Harvey

December 12, 2002 to December 9, 2010

 

Grafton's 23rd Fire Chief: John Place

December 9, 2010 to July 15, 2013

Grafton's 24th Fire Chief: William Rice

July 15, 2013 to December 31, 2025

 

Grafton Fire Department transitions to OCFD

January 1, 2025

On January 1st, 2025, the Grafton Fire Department and Saukville Fire Department transitioned to the Ozaukee Central Fire Department.