In 1959 a fire completely destroyed a home in the hamlet of Chilson before fire trucks from Ticonderoga, in Essex County, NY, could make the long, steep climb up Chilson Hill. A group of Chilson neighbors decided that something needed to be done.
For a dollar, they were able to buy a 1932 LaFrance truck that the Ticonderoga department was retiring; then they set about building a firehouse – on donated land, with donated labor.
The first Chilson Chicken Barbecue was held in 1962 as a fundraiser for the new firehouse. They’ll sell about 300 chicken dinners again this summer after a two-year hiatus due to the pandemic.
This year’s Annual Chilson Volunteer Fire Department Chicken Barbecue will be held on Saturday, August 14th from noon to 4 pm at the fire department’s Chilson Community House, 60 Putts Pond Road.
The dinner with all the fixin’s will be served from 2 pm to 4 pm. Tickets are $15 and the event is open to the public. There will be entertainment all day by local musicians, and raffles for valuable prizes.
Dinner tickets will be on sale on the day of the event, or can be purchased on any Tuesday evening at the firehouse from 7 to 9 pm. For advance BBQ ticket sales send an e-mail to ChilsonVFD@gmail.com, or call (518) 585-6951.
Read more stories about Essex County, New York.
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