Did you know that the Dedham Fire Department’s Engine 4 is named the Waterwitch, and that it gets its name from a horse drawn engine that was housed on Washington Street in 1832? Or that the town’s first motorized fire engine was a gift from Henry Endicott and his wife? You probably never heard the story of Philander Young (Police Badge #2) and his daring arrest in 1876 of a nefarious East Dedham criminal for clogging on the Sabbath!
These are just a few of the fascinating facts you will learn when you visit the Dedham Museum and Archive’s newest exhibit, Two Centuries of Protecting Dedham: The History of the Fire & Police Departments. This exhibit features a timeline of department milestones, dozens of artifacts from both the museum archive and private collections, and many remarkable photographs of Dedham’s dedicated public servants on the job. This is the first project I have worked on in my new role as part-time educator at the museum, and it has been quite an adventure searching through the museum’s extensive archives and finding so many incredible stories of innovation, perseverance and bravery. The exhibit celebrates the new Public Safety Building which opened on Bryant Street in 2023. This up-to-date facility brings the police and fire departments under one roof- an idea that was first proposed in 1894!
The Museum is open Tuesday-Thursday 11-5 and Friday 11-4. While you’re there you can do some holiday shopping and find the perfect Dedham-themed gift for you favorite Shiretowner! For more information, visit the Museum website https://www.dedhammuseum.org/
Dedham Tales 