Muster tops Hadley 350th events

By Nick Grabbe
Staff Writer

Published on September 04, 2009

HADLEY - An old-fashioned fireman's muster planned for Sept. 12 will highlight this month's celebrations of the town's 350th anniversary.

Teams of volunteer firefighters from Whately, Hatfield and about five other towns will compete for cash prizes as they test their skills, said organizer Ken Rodak. The event is free and will be from 1 to 4 p.m. on the north end of the West Street common.

Fireman's musters used to be very popular when he was growing up in Hadley, but they died out, he said. Now they are experiencing a revival, with musters at the Three-County Fair, he said. After a gap of 15 years, Whately's musters resumed in 2006.

Whately Fire Chief John Hannum, who is coordinating the muster in Hadley, said they can make people more interested in firefighting, and the prize money can help pay for repairs and maintenance on vehicles and equipment.

The challenges the Hadley muster will feature are called Midnight Alarm, Moving Motor Hose, Pumping, Hilltop Pumping, and Oil Fire.

Before the event, there will be a parade of fire trucks starting at 12:30 p.m. at the Hadley fire station.

Afterwards, from 4 to 8 p.m., there will be a polka dance at the American Legion, and from 8 p.m. to midnight an oldies dance. These events are free, too.

Activities for children will be provided during the muster.

Rodak raised $5,000 to pay for the event, including $2,500 from the 350th Anniversary Committee, $1,500 from two golf tournaments, and $1,000 from the Five College Credit Union, he said.

"There will be a lot of excitement and laughter and competitiveness," he said.

Another highlight of the anniversary celebration will be a talk Sept. 20 on musician Roger Sessions' childhood in Hadley. It will be given by Sessions biographer Andrea Olmstead of Boston at 2 p.m. at the Hadley Senior Center.

Sessions, who died in 1985, was one of America's major modernist composers and received the Pulitzer Prize. Olmstead was a colleague of Sessions at the Juilliard School.

In other 350th anniversary events:

* The DVD of the parade on June 14 is now available for $15 at the town clerk's office at Town Hall, the North Hadley Sugar Shack, Barstow's Dairy Store and Easthampton Savings Bank.

* On Sept. 12, pianist Ed Rosser will give a concert at 4 p.m. at North Hadley Congregational Church.

* On Sept. 20, there will be an open house and demonstrations at Cook Farm at 129 S. Maple St. from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., and at North Hadley Sugar Shack at Boisvert Farm from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The Food Bank Farm at 121 Bay Road will have an open house Sept. 21 and 23 from noon to 7 p.m. and Sept. 25 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

* The display of old photographs of Hadley at the Summit House on Mount Holyoke runs through Labor Day.

Residents can pick up their photos there between 3 and 5 p.m. or at the Senior Center at 46 Middle St. Sept. 13 from noon to 4 p.m.

* Holiday ornaments are available now at the 350th Souvenir Shop in Town Hall. It's open Tuesdays from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. and Fridays from 1 to 3:45 p.m.

* On Sept. 26, there will be a craft fair and music festival from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at North Hadley Congregational Church.