GWGVFD MUSEUM IS DEDICATED

(Gaithersburg) -- The Gaithersburg - Washington Grove Fire Department's museum has been dedicated to the memory of two GWGVFD members.

In a ceremony during Olde Town Day, the museum's Display Room was dedicated to Captain Wesley Briggs, the only member of the GWGVFD to give his life in the line of duty. The Museum's Engine Room was dedicated to Byron H. "Popeye" Miller, who served as Chief for two decades.

Captain Briggs died in February of 1952 when the GWGVFD's Ford pumper was struck by a car at the intersection of Diamond and Summit Avenues as it headed to a brush fire in Washington Grove. The fire truck rolled over, pinning Captain Wesley Briggs, who died of his injuries a few days later.

Chief "Popeye" Miller was 16 years old when he joined the GWGVFD and he moved up in the ranks quickly. Miller served as Chief from 1953 to 1972. In 1973 Popeye Miller was named Mont. County's Fireman of the Year. He was a member of the Montgomery County Fire Service Hall of Fame and the Maryland State Fireman's Hall of Fame. Chief Miller held honorary memberships by the Rockville, Damascus, Upper Montgomery and Laytonsville Volunteer Fire Departments.

The GWGVFD Fire Museum opened to the public earlier this year. It is part of the renovated Old Fire Station 8, at 18 E. Diamond Avenue in Olde Town Gaithersburg. The building was remodeled at a cost of $550,000, paid for by community donations including a $100,000 donation from the City of Gaithersburg for the museum. The Fire Department uses the building's community room for dept meetings as well as for rental income by renting for parties, meetings, recitals and church services. The museum is open to the public, Saturdays, from 10:00 a.m.until 2:00pm.

For more information about our museum, and a short photo tour, click here.

To be taken to another web site to see pictures from the dedication, click here. (This page may take a long time to load).