Austin Clark Jr’s Sandy Hollow Fire Department Badges
Here's a guest post from Walter McCarthy, a Long Island vintage car collector and a friend of Henry Austin Clark, Jr.:
Hi Howard, I read with interest your information on the Long Island Automotive Museum and some of the old stories and experiences of various people. Here is another. Austin Clark had 50 Captains' badges made for his friends by a fire department badge supply company. He also had one chief's badge made for himself. He mentioned that the company called and questioned his order and said that there must be a mistake as the only department ever ordering such a large number of Captain's badges was the FDNY, and they were not familiar with the Sandy Hollow Fire Department. I am the lucky owner of a badge with its many memories.
He also had a number of car badges cast in aluminum.
Walter, thanks again for your contributions to VanderbiltCupRaces.com !
Links to other posts on the Long Island Automotive Museum:
Comments
What Walter says about the Captain’s badges is true, and Austin kept a list of everyone he gave a badge to. I felt very honored to receive mine from Austin many decades ago.
Hello the picture of this fire truck has alot of history. it was originally from Islip Terrace Fire Dept. Long Island. This what Islip Terrace 1st motorized apparatus. It was sold to sleepy hallow and then when sleepy hallow came time to retiring the fire engine Islip Terrace heard about it and purchased the unit back. This unit was fully restored and is still driven for parades and special events!! It can be viewed in our museum year around surrounded with historic pictures itfdhq.com
Hi Howard,
Your info on the LI Auto museum continues to bring back such great memories, as I may have mentioned to you in my last e-mail when I worked for Austin at the museum back in the early 60s as a teenager. I too was given a Captain’s badge by Austin when I was stationed in Vietnam. I think I have a few pictures of the museum that my father took at various rallies that Austin staged, quite often, through the town of Southampton.
Our parents were friends of Austie Clark, and while rummaging around some old photos, I found a picture of our family sitting on this truck - around 1958 (?).
Loved finding this site. Thank you
I was given a Sandy Hollow NY badge back in the late 1970’s by a man who was smitten with me. I have a brother who is a retired fire captain who served in Mayfield Hts. , Ohio. That is why he gave me the badge; assuming I’d treasure it. I don’t know the history. Where can I find out about this badge?