The North Yarmouth Fire Company hopes to raise $100,000 to give its 1960 Chevrolet Admiral truck a permanent home. Contributed / North Yarmouth Fire Company

North Yarmouth Fire Company’s new fire museum is well underway, with site work begun at the village green and $20,000 raised of the $100,000 needed.

The museum will house the first fire truck the company purchased in 1960 and other fire company memorabilia, including antique Matchbox cars, trophies from past competitions and a recently donated vintage Texaco toy fire truck.

An architect’s rendering for the new building that will house the town’s oldest fire truck along with other fire-related memorabilia. Contributed / North Yarmouth Fire Company

When completed, the fire museum will join North Yarmouth Historical Society’s Old Town House, which was moved to the village green last month.

Most of the money has been raised through the organization’s bottle booth located outside the fire company’s building at 463 Walnut Hill Road, where people can drop off returnables. Fire Company President David Hyde said a concentrated fundraising drive will begin in the near future and may include a yard sale.

“Right now, with COVID, trying to plan any events is difficult,” Fire-Rescue Chief Greg Payson said. “We wanted to wait until the site work was clear to a point where we can actually show people that we’re moving in the right direction.”

“If anyone has any ideas they can bring them to us and we’ll see if they’ve got any merit. If they do, maybe we’ll proceed with something along those lines,” Hyde said, adding local business owners may also be approached for support.

Proceeds from donations to the bottle booth behind the North Yarmouth Fire Company are funding a new fire museum. Rachel Vitello / The Forecaster

A.H. Grover, an excavating contractor based in Yarmouth, donated time to clear the lot, remove stumps and begin excavation work. Payson said a local cabinet maker has offered to donate cabinets for the building. The fire company has also already purchased electrical supplies upon the advice of a local contractor who told them the cost was likely to rise.

The foundation will be poured in the spring when the weather allows, Payson said, and hopefully the building will be framed and weather tight by next winter. The timeline for the project is dependent on how much money is raised.

The fire company is still taking donations of historical items. Hyde said one of his neighbors dropped off a large, old-fashioned oil lamp for the museum and other items are “trickling in.” Monetary donations can be made via check to North Yarmouth Fire Company, 10 Village Square Road North Yarmouth 04097. Questions can be directed to Payson at firechief@northyarmouth.org or to Hyde at stupup1956@gmail.com.