The Beginnings of the Warrenville Fire Protection District
Although Warrenville was founded in 1833, it did not formally incorporate as a municipality until 1967. The lack of a village government meant that the community of Warrenville went over 100 years without a fire department. Large fires in the early 1930s brought the community together to create their own fire fighting organization.
Led by Rev. Father Harnishmacher of St. Irene’s Church, townspeople raised funds to buy a used truck and equip it for firefighting.
In May 1936, the Warrenville Volunteer Fire Company was born, with John Petit as Fire Marshal and Rev. Harnishmacher as Chaplain. Though not yet officially recognized, this grassroots effort marked the beginning of organized fire protection in Warrenville—a true story of neighbors uniting to protect their town.
The original Warrenville Fire District was incorporated as the Warrenville Fire Protection Company on August 11, 1937. Following a general election on July 3, 1939 it became a taxing body, and was incorporated as the Warrenville Fire Protection District.
When it became clear that more and better equipment was needed, along with a base from which to operate, a second organization called the Warrenville Volunteer Firemen’s Association was formed. In 1946 this group purchased the old Baptist Church lot, the Baptists having opted to build their new church on Warren Avenue after their first church burnt down in 1935..
In their free time the firemen went to work with their own hands, managing to get the building enclosed by the onset of winter. Completed and ready for use in 1947, the firehouse is a monument to the dedication, skill, and perseverance of “Warrenville’s Finest.”
The Warrenville Fire Station as built by the early volunteer association. This building has received many upgrades and additions and still stands today on Batavia Road on the land that once held the first Warrenville Baptist Church.
The original eighteen members of the Warrenville Volunteer Fireman’s Association were Vincent Petit, John Petit (Father and son owners of Petit’s Grocery Store), John and Frank Behr (Co-owner of Behr Brothers Chevrolet), George Heller (Local home builder), Elmer Terry, Barney Divelbiss, Howard Paver, Charles Paver (Rural postal carrier and 2nd Fire Chief), John and James Dorio (Owner of Dorio Hudson Terraplane auto dealer), Clarence Meyer, Herbert Kleinwachter (town blacksmith), Harold Bollweg (plumber and later co-owner of J. H. Bollweg and Sons Plumbing), Arthur (Red) Fairbanks (switchman for Chicago, Aurora and Elgin RR), G.F. Halenza, Louis Mayer (town barber), and Henry Evans (local banker), and honorary member Rev. Harnischmacher.
Information from this post came from the research and publications of Leone Schmidt and Dennis L. Rogers, Jr.