Citizens' Hose Company celebrates 125th anniversary

Central Delaware

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Citizens' Hose Company member since 1953 James Mood, left and member since 1975 Art Ricker, both of Smyrna ride in Old Mom, the company's beloved 1927 LaFrance fire truck down Commerce Street in Smyrna during the company's 125th anniversary parade Saturday afternoon.

Citizens' Hose Company member since 1953 James Mood, right, and member since 1975 Art Ricker, both of Smyrna pose inside the Smyrna firehouse Saturday afternoon.

Citizens' Hose Company past chiefs, from left, Tate Colburn; Issac Willis (current chief); Sen. Bruce Ennis (D-Smyrna); Brooks Keen; Donald Ebright; Curtis Heath; John Embert; Gerald Mood; Greg Parcell; Rep. William Carson (D-Smyrna); Robert Neuman; and James Mood pose before what was perhaps the largest parade in the history of the town of Smyrna.

Citizens' Hose Company marching band member since 1963 Marvin Knox of Smyrna plays his trombone down Commerce Street during Saturday's 125th anniversary parade.

Citizens' Hose Company marching band saxophonist since 1983 Michael Keen of Smyrna warms up before the parade.

Clayton Fire Company member since 1978 Vernon Berghorn of Clayton unloaded a 1881 antique pumper

Miss Delaware 2011 Maria Cahill is a fan of a certain backwards-hat wearing Dover photojournalist's Dover Days photos.

Micheal Pierson, 3 of Dover was ready to take his uncle's 1966 Corvette for a spin Saturday during the Smyrna-Clayton Rotary Club's car show along Market Street Plaza in Smyrna before the parade.

Citizens' Hose Company members ride down Commerce Street in one of their many featured fire trucks

Frederica Fire Company past chief and member since 1959 Paul Davis of Woodside, right, and member since 1996 Capt. Fred Moses of Frederica ride in the company's 1936 REO Speedwagon.

A Citizens' Hose Company marching band member since 1984, Donella Berryman of Smyrna plays the flute while her fellow band members relax before Saturday's 125th anniversary parade.

Members of the Greensboro, MD Fire Co. ride their antique Hale fire truck in the parade.

The Citizens' Hose Company marching band

Leipsic Fire Company's antique fire ambulance was a big hit with Smyrna parade watchers

A member of the Baltimore Fire Company looks back at the Citizens Hose Company 125th anniversary celebration Saturday afternoon.

The Odessa Fire Company's antique Hale was one of many old-time fire trucks in the parade.

A convoy of Clayton Fire Company trucks ride through the streets of Smyrna.

Dover Fire Company's antique ladder truck

Elsmere Fire Company honor guard members stand at parade rest Saturday afternoon in Smyrna.

Cheswold Fire Co. Ladies Auxiliary member and Delaware State News state government reporter Jessica Eisenbrey of Dover marches through the Smyrna streets

Citizens' Hose Company proudly celebrated its 125th anniversary Saturday afternoon with a parade through the streets of Smyrna.

Musicians from all the armed forces came to Smyrna in honor of the 125th birthday of the fire department.

Citizens Hose Company No. 1 band members strut their stuff.

A horse drawn carriage looks right at home on the Smyrna streets.

A beauty queen rides atop a Hartly Fire engine.

Smyrna, Delaware's own Citizens Hose Company members proudly walk down Commerce Street celebrating their 125th birthday.

Citizens' Hose Company celebrates 125th anniversary

Updated May 12, 2012 at 07:12PM

SMYRNA - Citizens' Hose Company through itself a big old-fashioned birthday party Saturday afternoon in celebration of its 125th anniversary in the heart of the town of Smyrna with many years of historic service under its belt.

Bright red fire trucks from all parts of Delaware desended upon the small town Saturday along with Maryland and New Jersey departments to ride in what was perhaps the largest parade ever in Smyrna's history complete with eight marching bands.

The 2p.m. parade starting down Commerce Street was led by Citizens' Hose Company members and the marching band along with beloved antique fire truck "Old Mom" driven by longtime members James Mood and Art Ricker dressed in vintage gear.

The day began at Market Street Plaza with a classic car show and the celebration continued after the parade at Municipal Park with food and beverage vendors, a DJ and a dunking booth.

Last year was the actual 125th birthday but the planned October 2011 parade was cancelled due to bad weather.

Photos by Dave Chambers

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