Wellesley has largely rid itself of the hard-wired fire alarm system that was marked by red boxes on poles throughout town. The Wellesley Fire Department relies now on a radio box system for municipal and commercial buildings, says Assistant Fire Chief Jeff Peterson.
But one remnant of the system is a black box on Washington Street in front of Town Hall that not only identifies itself as a fire alarm box, but a telegraph box as well. Perhaps some of the wires in it still serve some purpose for other town departments, but the Department of Public Works and Municipal Light Plant, for two, aren’t claiming any.
Why not put a little historical plaque below it and identify it for future generations? Doesn’t it have historical value? There might even be some in the Smithsonian by now.