The department museum is named in honor of Arthur R. Maytum, a respected citizen, humanitarian, and public servant whose leadership as a village trustee was instrumental in the re-organization of the Fredonia Fire Department in 1901.
All through the Fredonia Fire Department history, the Fenner Hose Cart has brought tremendous pride to the Company, Department and community. In January 1971 the Fredonia Fire Department Exempts authorized the Hose Cart to be loaned our and put on display in the lobby at the Chautauqua County Court House. At the annual meeting of the department in 1999, it was suggested that the hose cart be brought back home and would make a great display piece for the centennial celebration coming up in the year 2001.
At the annual meeting of the Exempts in 2000 it was proposed to build a special building to house the hose cart. Steve St. George, past Chief Bill Smith John J. Sullivan and past Chief Julius Leone, Jr. were appointed to lead a museum committee to explore every possibility of getting a building constructed before the centennial celebration.
The Village of Fredonia Trustees authorized the Fredonia Fire Department to solicit the necessary funds to erect a museum. Village trustee, Partrick Damore was able to obtain the necessary financing to make the museum to from possibility to reality. The Maytum family embraced the idea of a museum depicting the history of the Fredonia Fire Department with the Fenner Hose Cart as the marquee attraction. The museum is open to the public and can be accessed by any one of the professional staff on duty at the time.