caption, page 4:

Monohansett fire hose cart. Linda Lemmon photo.


1860s fire
hose cart
settled into
new home
By Linda Lemmon
Town Crier Editor
PUTNAM — It’s been a long circuitous journey back to where it should be.
In bygone days of the large mills in Putnam, each complex was like a village onto itself. And one required piece of equipment in those days was a fire hose cart.
The Monohansett mill’s fire hose cart now graces the Putnam Fire Department on Church Street. But it began its service in the 1800s at the Monohansett mill which stood between Canal Street and what is now Kennedy Drive. That mill was founded in 1872.
According to a Preservation Connecticut narrative, back in the 1860s, Thomas Harris of Providence owned rights to half the water privilege at Pomfret Falls (Cargill Falls) on the Quinebaug River in Putnam. Pomfret Manufacturing Co. owned the other half, which was applied at the most desirable mill site, next to the falls on the west bank. In mid-century Harris built a woolen mill (since demolished) immediately downstream from the Pomfret mills and used part of his privilege there.
In the 1860s he built a 1,000'-long canal along the east bank to use the rest of the water. The canal ran parallel to the bank before taking a wide bend to rejoin the river. At this bend, in 1868, Harris built a 4-story, mansard-roofed brick mill. Harris never engaged in manufacturing here, intending rather to lease the mill and power, which he did in 1872 when the newly formed Monohansett Manufacturing Co. moved in. Monohansett ran 280 looms and employed 175 people in production of cotton sheetings.
That mill became Putnam Mills and then that was owned by Frank B. Wellington. That building was sold to a company out of Boston and the cart was acquired by Paul Lefebvre, then general manager of Wellington.
According to Lefebvre, the cart’s original location was in an octagon-shaped building on the back side (the Kennedy Drive side) of the mill. When there was a fire the maintenance workers of the mill would get started firefighting with the cart until the fire department arrived.
The cart then started its journey through Putnam. It first went from the mill complex to the Putnam Fire Department on Church Street but there wasn’t quite enough room for it. It then went to three different houses and then was sold to John Gee, antique dealer. Recently Putnam Fire Chief Robert Campbell acquired it and put it in front of the Putnam Fire Department. The hose might be on the new side but the sign and perhaps the other paint on the cart seems original.
Welcome home.

..