S.F. Chronicle photo 

BACK IN 1974, SAN FRANCISCO’S ENGINE HOUSE 33, BUILT IN 1896, COULD NO LONGER admit the larger fire engines that were being made.  That and the need for modernization of the interior led to the City’s decision to build a new firehouse around the corner and sell old #33 as surplus property.

Enter Robert and Marilyn Katzman, two successful artists who were looking for something unique to call “home.”  After looking at the property they just knew that this was “it” and attended the property auction where they had the winning bid of $79,000 for the 4,000-sq. ft. building that still had the 30-ft. brass pole in it.

Marilyn Katzman slides into the engine bay.
Chroncle photo

They kept the pole and upgraded the kitchen, turned the officer’s quarters into their son’s bedroom, and converted the dormitory into their (huge) bedroom.  After a few years residence and sculpting, they started researching the history of the firehouse and the neighborhood.

Their office is in the former watchroom
Chronicle photo

   “We started discovering memorabilia and meeting people,” Marilyn said.  “We started creating products with a fire theme like toys in little fire buckets and fire chili base.”

The couple set up booths at firefighter musters to sell their products. At Christmas time they opened the firehouse to the public.  Then they decided that they should have a fire engine to park in the bay.  So they went out and purchased a 1955 Mack pumper.  One thing led to another and they turned their knowledge of local fire history into a tour business, converting the hose bed into a 15-seat passenger area.

Fire Engine Tours photo

Now they are ready to retire and have put the firehouse, engine and the active tour business up for sale as a package deal.  They’re asking $3.3 million for the whole shebang.

Read the details in this San Francisco Chronicle ARTICLE.
Check out their tour company’s WEBSITE.  Lots of pix in there.

Now…Watch Their Sales Video
(it includes a tour of the firehouse)

BACK ON TUESDAY, DAVE STATTER RAN A SERIES of four early motion picture films (1897-1904) of steamers and other FD apparatus.

One of the films is of the annual NYC fireman’s parade where you get to see some water towers and a team of truckies carrying about 20 pompier ladders.

It’s a great treat.  If you missed them, click HERE and take a look.  Maybe we can get him to make it an annual posting.

 Update:  video added.

OR MORE PRECISELY:  The North Charleston and American LaFrance Fire Museum and Educational Center.

Today’s Charleston Post and Courier has a feature article on this new museum that just opened this Fall.  It’s a good, comprehensive story on the educational center and is especially interesting because of the new and innovative educational exhibits that are incorporated into the ALF antique fire engine displays.

George Spaulding image

Grant Mishoe, who is the publisher of the fire blog SConFire.com, is the Curator of History of the museum.

Read the entire STORY.

Click to play Video 

WHEN RETIRED FIRE CAPTAIN TERRY MORROW of Ottawa, Ontario, told his firefighter son that he would leave him his 1938 fire truck in his will, then he knew he’d better get an ambulance for his other son who is a paramedic.

So he went out and found just the right one:  A 1953 Packard - Henney ambulance.

All of these photographs are of an identical vehicle to Morrow’s.  The Ottawa Citizen has the full story of his pursuit of the ambulance and all about it HERE.

From guest contributor Erik Smith, Salem, Massachusetts:

The Exeter “Eagle”

According to a story written by Barbara Rimkunas on the Essex Historical Society’s website, the Eagle was purchased by the town of Exeter, New Hampshire, in 1873 for $4,400. It is an Amoskeag Steamer, manufactured at the Manchester Locomotive Works in New Hampshire. It was capable of throwing 700 gallons per minute. Similar models were shipped to the fire departments of New York, Pittsburgh, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and New Orleans.

The proud members of the Eagle Steamer Co. pose with their engine.
Image from the collection of the Exeter Historical Society

In 1890 the Eagle Steamer Company officially purchased its own team of horses, after 17 years of using them from a livery across the street. The fire horses were named Dick and Prince. When Dick, who was beloved by the town and known by the name Pet, died in 1900, his obituary was 39 words longer than that of the Fire Chief.

The Eagle was what was called a front line attack piece until 1928. It remained in service until the early 1940s. Some of the fires that the Exeter Fire Department credits it with fighting include the Exeter Manufacturing Company in 1887 and 1893, Phillips Exeter Academy in 1914, and the South Newmarket fire in 1894. The Eagle was refurbished in 1991 at a cost of $40,000. It is pumped annually for the public in Exeter at the Swasey Parkway on the second Sunday in June.

This Erik Smith video of the Eagle in action was taken at the Fireman’s Muster, Gorham, New Hampshire
September 8, 2007
click to play

Thanks to the websites of the Exeter Historical Society and the Exeter Fire Department.

Erik Smith is a writer and filmmaker from Salem, Massachusetts. He is also a member of the Okommakamesit Veteran Fireman’s Association in Marblehead. Erik is producing a documentary about handtub musters and is the writer and webmaster of www.salemhistoryonline.com.

AMERICAN LaFRANCE, THE COUNTRY’s OLDEST current fire engine manufacturer, is celebrating its 175th anniversary this year.  With roots dating back to 1832, the early fire apparatus maker was later organized by Truckson LaFrance and his partners as the LaFrance Manufacturing Company.

The company has just completed its move into new corporate headquarters and primary manufacturing facility in Summerville, South Carolina which is near North Charleston.  It is a  440,000 square foot state-of-the-art, custom fire and vocational products manufacturing and assembly plant, and a 57,000 square foot headquarters. The new facility includes a vehicle test track, a pump test pit and a retail store outfitted with American LaFrance merchandise and memorabilia.

In April they completed the move into their new museum which is located nearby the plant.  The museum shows 18 vintage ALF fire trucks along with educational exhibits.

The company is celebrating its anniversary by holding an Open House event next month on October 19 - 20.  It will be highlighted by an antique muster with a large contingency of antique ALF owners  convening at the plant.  Also on the ticket are seminars, tours and exhibits.

For complete details and trip-planning info, click HERE.

78 YEARS AFTER IT STARTED GOING TO FIRES, Charlottesville, Virginia’s Engine No. 2 was returned to the City where it will remain.  After a journey through subsequent owners over the years, the Old Dominion Historical Fire Society donated the engine to the CFD.

The Daily Progress has the full tale HERE.
If anybody has a photo of this jewel, please send it to Firegeezer and we’ll post it.

OVER IN THE SHENANDOAH VALLEY of Virginia, the McGaheysville VFD’s first pumper has been brought back to town.  One of the department’s members now owns the truck, a 1942 Diamond-T, and presents it at local parades.

The Virginia Fire News blog is carrying the complete story HERE.

THE NEW ENGLAND STATES VETERAN FIREMAN’S LEAGUE MUSTER is coming to Newbury, Mass. on Saturday, July 28.  And the handtubs will be there for a pumping contest to be held at 1:00 pm.

Click thumbnail for full-size image
Handtub Junction, USA photos

Here’s the SCOOP.

FOLLOWING OUR STORY HERE on the 1908 Seagrave ladder truck returning to the Seguin, Texas Fire Department, Ron Maloney of the Seguin Gazette-Enterprise graciously sent us two photos of the truck being off-loaded and a try at cranking the engine.

Go to the original posting here to see the pix in full size.

photo credits: Melissa Johnson/Gazette-Enterprise

THE SEGUIN (TEXAS) FIRE DEPARTMENT HAS joined the growing number of communities that have recovered their early fire apparatus for historic displays.  They have brought home their first ladder truck….. a 1904 horse-drawn Seagrave ladder.  It was upgraded in 1912 with a Wichita tractor and they have that, too.

The Gazette-Enterprise has the full story here.
If Firegeezer can locate a photo of it, I’ll post it here.

update:  The Seguin Gazette-Enterprise has graciously sent us two photos showing the FF’s off-loading the old truck from the delivery trailer and giving the old engine a cranking.  Thanks to Ron Maloney.

photo credits: Melissa Johnson/Gazette-Enterprise
click on thumbnails to view full-size images

A 1940 AMERICAN-LaFRANCE LADDER TRUCK that was originally purchased by Enid, Oklahoma has been restored and is now back in the station.

The plans call for it to eventually be placed in the Oklahoma State Firefighters Museum in Oklahoma City for permanent display.  A local truck mechanic spent 3,000 hours of volunteer labor restoring it after the State Firefighters Assoc. purchased it from an ALF dealer in Houston four years ago.

Don Froese
Enid News & Eagle photo

Don Froese, a retired Enid FD training officer, drove the truck when it was active in the fleet.  He is currently the director of the State museum and was instrumental in getting the truck back home.  It has an 85 ft. aerial and still has the full complement of wooden ground ladders.  The Norman Transcript has the full story here.