The first apparatus ever used for fighting fires in Claypool is still housed in the station. The 1894 hand pumper was pulled through a lot of small town parades with firemen responding to an outhouse fire in the parade lineup.
Jason Neher, firefighter, remembers being one of the clowns that were a part of the parade fun. There would be guys on the hand pumper pulling it through the parade. Somewhere else in the parade would be several clowns mingling with the crowd, and one guy pulling an outhouse. One of the clowns would go and use the outhouse, setting off smoke bombs and firecrackers. The crew pulling the pumper would rush to the burning building, start pumping and spray water on the fire. Of course anyone in the vicinity would get a little wet as there were gaps in the walls.
This relic from the original days received trophies and traveled to the Mermaid Festival in North Webster, Blueberry Festival in Plymouth, Bremen’s Fireman’s Parade, and the Three Rivers Festival in Fort Wayne. Neher remembers his father, who was also a fireman, taking it down to Anderson, which was a big event.