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June 21, 2026
The annual historical exhibit by the Clinton Historical Society for 2026 is the “History of
Local Firefighting” and is being held to honor all Clinton firefighters and rescue squad
members, past and present, from the East Clinton and the West Clinton Fire Districts.
As said by curator Craig Marshall, “They are often overlooked as unsung heroes
volunteering for frequent and difficult emergency tasks.”
Cynthia Koch, President, Clinton Historical Society, further noted “Their volunteer time
commitments are significant, with a minimum of 100 hours annual training to keep up
with new equipment and improved procedures. We appreciate their on-going dedication
to our town.”
The exhibit will feature many selected vintage firefighting artifacts from area fire
museums and personal collections. Highlights include two restored fire hose wagons
and one rare unrestored chemical tank wagon. All three are circa late 1800s and are
hand drawn. It will be educational for both adults and children, with descriptions of each
artifact name, era, and how it was used. The history of both fire districts will be on
display with vintage photos of their fire and emergency vehicles. A collection of images
of early horse drawn fire wagons in Poughkeepsie c1890 will also be exhibited. With a
focus on actively engaging youth (primarily) with the exhibit, a new augmented reality
(AR) technology using smart phones will be featured. Disney’s Goofy, dressed in
firefighting attire, and four full-sized manikins also in vintage service bunker garb, will
welcome visitors entering the extensive display.
The exhibit opens Saturday June 6 at 11am at the Clinton Historical Society’s Creek
Meeting House headquarters at 2433 Salt Point Turnpike, Clinton Corners. It is part of
Clinton Community Day also held on that site the same day from 11am to 5pm. After
June 6, the display will be open from 1-4pm on the four weekends in June. The exhibit
is free.