Fire Fighter's Memorial

The Firefighter’s Memorial in Worcester’s Hope Cemetery was dedicated in 1896 to memorialize Worcester’s fire fighters. The monument at its center was designed by Arthur B. Hewett, superintendent of the Worcester Monument Company, which was regionally famous for large scale monuments featuring portraits and portrait-style statues.

The model for the firefighter was Fire Chief Simon Estabrook Coombs, who served WFD for 43 years. He was born in neighboring Holden, MA in 1827 and was a veteran of the US Civil War. Before becoming Chief Engineer of the fire department he was a blacksmith. He was married twice; first to Mary J. Davis, and second to Sarah L. Spaulding. Chief Coombs died in Worcester in 1891.

My personal favorite part of the monument is the border—it’s a fire hose with couplings on the end. Chief Coombs holds a trumpet, and rests against a hydrant.