North Akron Volunteer Fire Company No. 1

== History ==
The Akron Village Council organized this company on December 11, 1839, when it was decided that the Akron Fire Wardens were ineffective. At this time they raised $600 to purchase a small rotary engine, 50 feet of leather hose and rent a fire house. On January 28, 1840 the company was formed with 26 members, a leased station and their brand new engine. The town Recorder, following the Council's direction issued certificates of membership to those individuals dating to the time they joined. Starting after the purchase of this engine fire drills were held regularly each week which gained the firefighters experience. On March 3, 1840, Summit County was established with the companies second firehouse erected in 1841, it was a wooden shed the size of a homes garage that read "Fire Co. No. 1." On February 10, 1841 eight more members were added to the roster and the name had No. 1 added.
On March 17, 1841 there was a major fire early in the morning at the First Methodist Episcopal Church. The church was completely destroyed. This was the first large fire Akron's VFC's fought. When this fire happened the weather was very cold. When the firefighters began to use the engine the water froze. They then formed a bucket brigade but when they splashed water it too froze. After that all they could do was stand close enough to the flames to let their clothes thaw. Despite this, the town did not give up on the volunteers and they were responsible for building them their second firehouse, located on Howard Street. Unfortunately this could not save the city from the upcoming blazes that would consume large parts of the city over the course of a few years. On September 15, 1844 a large livery stable next door to the Ohio Exchange Hotel burnt down killing 8 horses.
During the 1840s there were many large fires including: a hostelry at Main and Market Streets, a $1200 loss, a large distillery west of Ohio Canal Lock 21 on November 9, 1844, the Aetna Furnace burnt for the first time January 13, 1846, the buggy works of Collins & Company in Middlebury, burned on March 11, 1846 and Frank Parmalee's tannery near Lock 16 on November 4, 1846, Aetna Furnace in 1847, the old Pavilion House on June 9, 1848 which led to every building at Market Street and Howard Street being burned in the same day, a large section of the west side of Howard Street also burned on September 16, 1848, then the Stone Block on the southeast corner of Howard and Market burned on December 27, 1848, followed by the east side burning in 1849. All of these fires wiped out the entire business section of Akron. This series of fires continued into the 1850s. Due to these fires Niagara Engine Company 2 and Tornado Fire Company No 3, the cities first ladder company, was formed. Originally it was named the North Akron Fire Company as North Akron (presently the north side of downtown) was separate from Akron proper, on February 10, 1846 it was redesignated as North Akron Volunteer Fire Company No. 1 as other companies were formed at the time. 
Many more large fires occurred including one in 1851, then on April 30, 1855 the Ohio Exchange burned and there was another large fire in 1856. Often times Akron was slow to spend money on fire protection and they would need to have many issues before it was decided to spend money on the FD. In 1853 Akron consisted of eight churches, five flouring mills, one wool factory, three foundries, sixty stores, six hotels, one bank, three printing offices and two telegraph offices. Another fire company was formed later on known as the Eagle Hose Company. In May, 1858 the Council declared compensation for the firefighters which was a sum of $2 for each member each year which required strict compliance with the Council's regulations. The rapid growth of Akron during the 1860s made it apparent that the city would need a waterworks for a water supply and fire protection. The company was disbanded with the others in 1866 when the all of the companies merged to form the Akron Fire Department.
===Companies==
Company 	Address 	In Service 	Notes
North Akron Volunteer Fire Company No. 1	North Side of Downtown, Akron	December 11, 1839 - February 10, 1841	Demolished.
North Akron Volunteer Fire Company No. 1	Howard Street 	February 10, 1841 - 1866 	Demolished, wooden shed, building leased.
==Apparatus ==
:1839 Rotary engine
Category:Defunct fire departments of Summit County, Ohio