New guy restoring a house gong

[fireguybayless]

Hello, Thanks for allowing me to join this wealth of knowledge.  I am currently in my 12th year as a career Firefighter/Paramedic with the City of Hillsboro, Ohio. After many, many months of searching your forums, I have joined to find information on GFA late  1800's house gongs. We are restoring ours so that it will ring again in our new firehouse. Our department was established in 1857. The Indicator has a unique history as it has survived a fire that destroyed our station back in Feb of 1949. Missing some parts I am hoping to find them here amongst the fire buffs. Pics hopefully to follow soon.

[Box 2565]

Hi,

Welcome!  I'm glad to read in your post that Hillsboro is building a new station.  Where will the new station be located and when is the place scheduled to open?  The H.F.D. has been one of the  gaps in my photo collection and I keep planning to drive over and take some photos.  I'll probably wait for the opening of your new station as the old place is crowded.  Place an ad in the Fire Flea Market area or the Fire Alarm topic - you might find the parts you're after.

Steve

[fireguybayless]

Yes indeed, you should wait until the new facility opens, for the old one was never intended to be a firehouse. It was an old car dealership and service station they moved into after the fire in the old bldg. It will be located two blocks form the old site and is scheduled to open late November this year. A new 6 drive through bay facilty with 6 individual bunk rooms, training, physical fitness room, gear room and more. With the mezzanine in the bay area it should total nearly 13,500 square feet. Much needed room for our 3 engines, 3 medics, heavy rescue, 2 brush units, ladder tower, hazmat trailer, snow mobile and more.

[yfdgricker]

Welcome to the forums fireguybayless! Please post some pics of the new station when it opens up! I hope someone is taking pics of the station construction. You might not think about station construction photos now but someone down the road will wish someone had!

[fireguybayless]

Thanks. Yes I have been taking pics since they started moving earth. Tried to take them from the same spot every day. Hoping to do time lapse photography for open house in early December. I have attached a newspaper clip of when the old firehouse burned. Not only did our house gong survive the fire, but so did a CS Bell steel alloy alarm bell that fell three stories cracking the frame. It will be intigrated into the signage in front of the new building.

[fireguybayless]

Here are some pics of the gong. Just waiting for some pieces to come in from New York to finish up

[fireguybayless]

Thanks to all that have helped me find what I was looking for. The Gong is almost done with just a few finishing touches. Coils arrived yesterday... Thanks Tom in Syracuse. Working like a charm. Will post new pics when it is completely finished.

[DixieHoosierFireBiker]

Great pictures! I've never seen a gong like this before.You should be proud of it;I can't imagine the painstaking effort it took to get it back to this excellent shape .KUDOS !