Photos: Hovland Fire Department celebrates 50 years

The Hovland Fire Department celebrated its 50th anniversary Saturday with food and music as the community turned out despite cloudy skies and rain.

The celebration was held at the fire hall, with displays of firefighting equipment and a board filled with newspaper clippings featuring the department through the years. Each table also featured a year-by-year account of the department’s 50 years.

“There’s been a steady stream of people,” Fire Chief Terry Speiker told WTIP. “It’s been a good event.”

Volunteers provided food, and the event was catered by North Superior Fishery. Spieker recalled when the owner’s truck had tipped on Highway 61 and the Hovland Fire Department had worked to clean up and save the spilled herring.

“One of the stranger calls we got,” Spieker said.

WTIP spoke with a founding member of the department, Orvis Lunke, about its history, and with Ashleigh Schiffmann about its activities over the past year. Audio of those conversations can be found below.

Josh Hinke August 16, 2026