Famous First Due

June 1, 1996
Robert M. Winston visits the firefighters who protect a Massachusetts landmark.
The John Alden House, a National Historic Landmark built in the 1600s, was home to the Pilgrims John and Priscilla Mullins Alden, who were made famous by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow's 1858 poem, "The Courtship of Miles Standish." They lived in the house until their deaths sometime between 1680 and 1687.

The house, which is located in Duxbury, MA, is protected by both security and fire detection systems and is an extremely valuable property, containing some rare furnishings.

First due at the John Alden House is Duxbury Fire and Rescue Services. The department is under the command of Fire Chief Kenneth Erickson and has one deputy chief, four lieutenants, 13 career firefighters and 10 call firefighters. The department's apparatus includes three pumpers, one ladder, two ambulances and two large brush breakers.

The Alden House is the only structure standing today that was built by, lived in by, and in which Mayflower Pilgrims died, thus firefighters must respond rapidly to this local and national landmark.

Photo by Robert M. Winston (From left) Duxbury, MA, Firefighters Peter Goggin and David Beers, Fire Chief Kenneth Erickson, Lieutenant Fran Turner and Firefighter P.J. Hussey pose outside the landmark John Alden House with "Priscilla Alden" (Danielle Bourgault) and "daughter Elizabeth" (Maureen Shores).Robert M. Winston, a Firehouse® contributing editor, is a district chief in the Boston, MA, Fire Department.

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