Pre-1800s History of Firefighting
The first recorded instances of organized firefighters comes from ancient Rome, when bands of vigiles urbani (or, watchmen of the city) were organized to patrol at night and stop fires before they spread. The watchmen’s duties were a combination of police and firefighter tasks that we know today. When they found a fire they alerted nearby families for evacuation before attempting to contain the blaze. The vigiles urbani carried hooks and buckets. Their buckets were made of coiled rope covered in pitch. Their hooks could be used as a weapon in a fight, but were more often used to tear down burning structures. Together these tools could contain fires in the crowded streets of Rome. These tools and tactics for controlling a blaze have been the primary forms of fighting fires ever since, even after the vigiles urbani were disbanded. These early teams faced dangers that would continue to impact firefighters for centuries. Being burned, crushed, or trampled was just as hazardous in the 100s as it was in the 1800s.
1800s Firefighting Techniques and Tools
Up until the mid-1800s American firefighting was more about preventing the spread of the fire instead of fully extinguishing it. Volunteer firefighting teams were common throughout the 1800s; the first volunteers primarily formed bucket brigades and hook and ladder teams. Bucket brigades used lines of volunteers to fill buckets and toss them on adjoining structures and smaller fires. These brigades could often successfully contain a fire if it was caught early enough, and it would burn itself out. Hook and ladder teams created “breaks” in urban architecture by tearing down portions of unburnt homes and by tearing down the burning buildings. Once collapsed, the fire burned itself out much more quickly. Bucket brigades evolved by adding stirrup pumps and small lengths of hoses to larger buckets, which later evolved into hand-pump water carts and hand-pump fire engines. These engines could park near cisterns or early fire hydrants and use hand pumps to draw the water through the various hoses stored in the truck. Many men would work on the pumps, leaving few to actually direct the hoses. Crucially, bucket brigades, hand pump carts, and fire engines were all reliant on water sources. Slow water sources meant slow firefighting. In 1879 when the Central Hotel burned in Stevens Point, there was so little water that the Stevens Point Daily Journal reported that “for all the good they (the steam engines) did (...) both machines might as well have remained in their respective houses.” Fire engines were upgraded with coal-burning steam pumps which allowed more firefighters to directly fight the fire, since fewer needed to man the pumps. Larger pumps and tanks eventually made the fire engines too heavy for horses and by the early 1910s firefighters were switching to the gasoline-powered engines we know today. All of these tools were used first to contain a fire and then to try and directly combat it.
Horses were a key part of fighting fires in the 1800s. They could move much heavier carts and fire engines than groups of volunteers alone. Having multiple fire stations around the city, each with their own horses, allowed for much faster response times. However, the horses needed to be “spook proof” to deal with the commotion of firefighting. It was not unheard of for the horses to be harmed while working. In 1877 the first horses purchased for the south side firehouse responded to a lumber yard fire only 20 minutes after arriving at Stevens Point. They had to be kept wet while hitched to the steam engine because the cinders “came down like fiery flakes of snow” and even with the frequent attention, one horse still ended up with a “heavily blistered neck”. In 1916 a gray horse from the north side firehouse in Stevens Point fell on steel train tracks and had a bloody mouth and nose. The horse recovered and was able to continue responding to fires, but the injury delayed the team’s response. The horses could also endanger the firefighters; getting on and off the tall hose carts was difficult with agitated horses and firefighters occasionally fell off or were dragged behind the carts. The stereotypical dalmatian riding with the firefighters comes from the need to protect the horses. Dogs acted as an alarm system if someone tried to steal the horses while the firefighters were working.
Herman Krembs, associated with the fire department from 1886 to 1931, looked back at the horse-drawn engine era with nostalgia. He wrote in his journal, "There was romance and thrill in a dash of a fine team of horses drawing the sparklin (sparkling) engine with its trailing column of smoke. The fire fighter was and always will be a hero. The horse shared his human companion's glory. What a thrill it was for the little boys and girls to be taken down to the engine house and there be lifted in the arms of a fireman and up to pet the horses on the nose".
Firefighting Hazards in Portage County
Containing fires was difficult. Early Stevens Point was built with pine boards, and our earliest industries were regularly burned down due to "spontaneous combustion”. In 1858, during a large downtown Stevens Point fire, the Wisconsin Pinery lamented that “none but those who have witnessed the burning of a large pile of light pine wood buildings in a time of extreme drought, under a breeze can conceive the rapid intensity of such a fire, nor how quickly persons of comparative riches and comfort, may find themselves houseless, homeless, and in want.”
Logging and paper mills did not regularly sweep out the accumulating shavings and sawdust and the piles were often multiple feet deep. Likewise, in grain and flour mills the resulting grain dust was incredibly combustible, and the machinery pieces only needed to create enough friction to light a portion of the airborne flour before the whole building would be engulfed. Brewing companies burned due to machinery accidents and spilled alcohol. Saloons regularly caught fire from careless patrons, and homes burned when the family left small fires in the stove to be ready for their return later in the day. We saw all of these types of fires in Stevens Point.
The photos above show fire hazards in the 1800s. Cast iron stoves, like this one in the Engford home at Heritage Park, could get incredibly hot and could stay that way for a long time. Many burns and fires started with these stoves. Flammable materials were also tough to safeguard; in the second photo Stevens Point firefighters respond to a pile of smoldering hay in the square, and in photo three an entire barn is alight. All photos from the PCHS collections.
In 1853 the Phelps’ tavern on Main Street was the starting place of a most destructive fire. The wind pushed the flames towards the rest of Main Street and threatened the entire downtown. However, the newly formed volunteer firefighters were able to put out the fire. The Wisconsin Pinery said “it was a spectacle for admiration and surprise to see an old pine building, drier than tinder, all wrapped in a sheet of flames, and apparently beyond all hope, suddenly extinguished.” Later in 1874 the breaking of a kerosene lamp in M. McGee’s tavern would cause a multi-building downtown fire, and in 1885 the kitchen area of the Boyer & Ceisinski saloon led to another expansive downtown fire.
Home life used to be much more flammable. Gasoline and carbon-tetrachloride were recommended for “dry cleaning” garments since the compounds could dissolve grease stains, however, they left your clothing much more likely to ignite. Women wore multiple layers of skirts, shawls, and aprons, and there are many news articles of women catching fire while tending to the kitchen stove. Smoking indoors was a normal occurrence, and dropping ashes in a barn or backyard shed could spark the next fire. In 1869 the Kollock House burned down in Stevens Point after a kitchen fire grew too large to be contained. The House was being repaired and furnished with new items and was in line to become the finest house in central Wisconsin before it was destroyed.
Gasoline and kerosene lamps were in use until the early 1900s, and their refilling would lead to spilled fuel. This is what started the St. James Hotel fire in Stevens Point in 1889; the Stevens Point Journal reported that “the fires started in what is known as the ‘pump room’. In this room the lamps are trimmed and filled and the floor and tables were probably saturated with kerosene.” Rags soaked in gasoline or cleaning components were not thrown away; many were saved for future use. These rag piles could generate enough of their own heat to start fires. Building insulation was usually sawdust or shredded newspapers. Now-known hazardous compounds like radium, uranium, lead, and asbestos were used in household goods and health products. When they burned they released hazardous chemicals to the inhabitants and firefighters. All of these small compounds, dangerous in their own ways, combined to create flammable towns.
There were two main seasons for firefighting efforts in Stevens Point. Winter, when everyone was burning fuel indoors, and late spring/early summer during the dry season. Firefighters struggled in winter because water sources would freeze over. In 1885 when 9 buildings burned downtown, the first reservoir the firefighters attempted to use was frozen solid and they wasted time having to relocate. In summer the county’s productivity flourished, but the piles of kiln-dried lumber and sawdust created perfect tinderboxes, and waterways could be clogged with farming, sawmill, and animal waste. Fires often “jumped” across downtown streets until builders finally began to use more stone and brick in their construction. In 1866 the majority of downtown Stevens Point burned. It was the largest recorded fire up to that time, and the pine buildings and roofs on either side of Main Street allowed the fire to cross easily. From the Wisconsin Pinery, “in a short time the buildings on each side of the street presented a vast sheet of flames. The sight was grand and awful. The flames arched over Main Street and leaped in solid columns over two hundred feet high.”
In the 1800s there were immediate dangers to firefighters, and hidden chemical dangers they had yet to learn about. The immediate dangers included balloon construction, insulation, basements or crawl spaces, additions, and chimneys. Balloon construction refers to wood-based construction that is meant to be built fast. Everything from floors to walls to the roof shingles is wood, which made the construction cheap, too. However, these houses, especially when made with pine, were an enormous hazard and caused deaths for residents and firefighters alike. The pine wood burned incredibly fast and meant less time for residents to sound the alarm and escape. When more solid wood was used, or when winds were low, residents had time to wake each other up and remove items of value from the home. Pine wood burned so quickly that those who returned to the structure may not make it out again. Returning to a pine fire is what killed Maggie Riley and Charles Oatball in the St. James Hotel Fire in 1889; Maggie went upstairs to get her personal effects and Charles went to save Maggie. They were found clasped together after the fire was extinguished. Frequent pine fires caused some citizens to push for more brick and stone construction in Portage County, particularly in main downtown areas where buildings were so close.
Insulation was a danger because of the flammable materials used. The insulated wall spaces, open basements, and crawlspaces could lead to internal structure fires that were difficult for firefighters to reach, and the embers could smolder for days without extinguishing. Additions or expansions often led to overlaps in roofs and walls. These gaps were another spot for fires to hide. Brick chimneys were nicknamed “widowmakers” because uncleaned chimneys could catch fire and when the brickwork collapsed it could kill anyone caught underneath. House fires regularly started in chimney flues or house ventilation systems, and they could spread through coal chutes or ductwork long before the house residents realized they were in danger. This type of fire is what destroyed the first Stevens Point high school in 1892, and later the First Ward school building in 1899. Both fires used the basement, wallspaces, and crawlspaces to spread through the buildings without being caught. Both fires proved to be very difficult to put out. These internal fires were also the demise of the Avenue Hotel in 1893 and the St. Peter’s Church in 1896. Without destroying the building it was impossible to be sure that the coals were extinguished, and the burning walls made it too hazardous to venture inside.
The biggest hidden danger for firefighters was chemical exposure. Lime was mixed into insulation materials and concrete. Because insulation was so often made with pest bedding materials, lime powder would increase the acidity of the mixture and keep some pests away. However, lime reacts once it becomes wet, rapidly increasing temperature. The insulation material could become wet enough to activate the lime but still be dry enough to begin a fire. Firefighters who encountered this burning lime could have internal burns from inhalation and permanently damaged eyesight from the smoke or airborne particles. Asbestos was used in roof shingles and insulation. Touted as being virtually fireproof, this would seem like a positive change from lime-mixed insulation. While it did decrease the chance of fire beginning in the insulated space, or spreading roof-to-roof, both the construction and demolition of these products was harmful. Asbestos is particularly hazardous when airborne and burning buildings would still release particles onto the firefighters.
Some chemicals used in fire extinguishers and fire grenades can cause cancer to those who handle them or breathe them in. Carbon-tetrachloride was used in anti-fire grenades, which were thin glass containers that could be thrown at the base of a fire to put it out. However, when heated up, carbon-tetrachloride can produce phosgene gas; a chemical warfare agent. By itself, carbon-tetrachloride is a cancer agent. Those exposed would not know the damage done until many years later.
Nationwide Tragedies and Effects
It took tragedies to make changes. Large city fires, like the one in Washington D.C. in 1836, encouraged cities to write fire codes for building and city constructions. But national regulations didn’t surface until close to the 1900s. It took the particularly problematic fires of the 1870s to spur a massive overhaul of city planning and firefighter preparation. On October 8, 1871 the Great Chicago Fire burned for 3 days and killed 300 people, destroying over 17,000 structures within a four mile area. Wooden construction, narrow streets, and strong winds all fed the flames. The Chicago fire garnered national attention and worldwide support; a donation from the United Kingdom was used to found the Chicago Public Library. Chicago used this event as the reason to tighten their fire standards in new constructions and bolster their city’s firefighting force. In the 1870s Chicago firemen were the first to use a fireman’s pole to respond to an alarm. After their response time was found to be much faster than average the use of firepoles spread across the country.
On the same day as the Great Chicago Fire was the Peshtigo Fire in Wisconsin. The fire was not started in Peshtigo; it was a series of slash-and-burn forest-clearing fires that accidentally connected, spurred by heavy winds and unusually dry conditions. It burned for at least one day and quickly covered 1.2 million acres of land in northeast Wisconsin, including a large portion of Door County. Close to 2,500 people died across various cities. The Peshtigo Fire caused no changes in Wisconsin law; no changes to logging industry practices or fire standards for slash-and-burn clearing. Logging and clear-cutting would continue to be the main source for wildfires in the state and a main source for fires inside cities.
On November 9, 1872, the Great Boston Fire started in a commercial warehouse basement. Over 12 hours it burned 776 buildings and killed at least 30 people, including 12 firefighters. Firefighters struggled to combat this fire because their ladders could not reach the upper floors of buildings or the rooftops, and the pressure of their firehoses was too weak to douse those upper-stories. The fire spread easily from wooden roof to wooden roof. The Boston mayor, William Gaston, approved the use of gunpowder to demolish buildings and create firebreaks around the blaze. However, the gunpowder barrels injured the volunteers and only spread the fire faster. After the fire burned itself out the city created a new fire commission to study the disaster and change the way city infrastructure was designed. Water mains were repaired and expanded. In 1873 the National Association of Fire Engineers (now known as the International Association of Fire Chiefs) was founded in Boston. They identified 8 safety concerns in 1870’s cities: flammable or combustible building materials, excessively high buildings, lack of fire escapes, lack of water supplies, minimal space between buildings, open corridors and open stairways, lack of accessible fire alarms, and a lack of trained fire departments. This work was used in national building codes and saved countless lives before 1900.
On May 2, 1878, the Washburn A Mill in Minneapolis exploded. An accumulation of grain dust inside the mill caught fire and 18 workers perished inside. Nearby mills caught on fire as burning debris fell up to 8 city blocks away. This was the worst disaster of its type in Minneapolis history and spurred new regulations for the milling industry. There was an inquest into the cause of the explosion that led to wide-spread understanding of the explosive potential of dust and flour. For decades Stevens Point had already been dealing with a form of these fires inside the numerous sawmills along the Wisconsin River. Piles of kiln-dried wood sat next to heaps of dried sawdust. All it took was an errant spark for month’s worth of labor to be burned away.
Lumbermill Fires in Portage County
Lumberjacking and lumbermills were one of the first causes of fires for our state. Logging practices clear-cut the forests and led to the massive blazes like the Peshtigo Fire. The easiest trees to process were the tall, straight pine trees. Wood for construction was in constant high demand so lumbermills worked overtime to bring in the logs and process them into dry, seasoned planks. This process created lots of sawdust, shavings, and off-cuts of wood. From 1853-1900 there were 8 major fires in Stevens Point lumberyards. This doesn’t include the small fires that were caught early enough to not cause catastrophic damage. The lumber mills, planing mills, and lumberyards burned in this time include; The Knox Bros’ lumberyard, Copps’ planing mill, Herren and Wadleigh’s planing mill, North Side Lumber Company, Owen Clark’s Saw Mill, Wisconsin River Paper and Pulp Mill (this location burned down twice in three years), Wallace and Karner’s Saw Mill, and the Bosworth and Reilly Saw Mill. The causes were diverse, but in all cases the massive stockpiles of finished, kiln-dried wood played a part in the fire’s growth. The 1877 fire at the Knox Bros’ Lumber Yard is described as having “acres of sawdust and shavings which have become as dry as tinder”. That’s exactly what these yards were; without constant maintenance the piles of sawdust dried out in the warm months and provided a carpet of tinder to bring a small blaze directly to the wood stockpiles.
The above photos of the Rosholt saw mill (1) and the John Weeks Saw Mill (2, 3) show the amount of stockpiled wood and sawdust piles that could accumulate near the buildings. Photos from the PCHS collections.
Grain and Feed Mill Fires in Portage County
Surprisingly, Portage County grain and feed mills did not have as many disasters as their sawmill counterparts. Two mills in Nelsonville, the Rising Star Mill and Loberg’s Flour and Feed Mill, both operated throughout the 1800s and 1900s and avoided burning down. Other mills, like the Pagel Mill in Stevens Point and the Jackson Mill in Amherst stopped operations and were eventually demolished. However, there were three notable grain mill fires here in Portage County. In 1849 the first flouring mill in Portage County was built; J.C. Harvey’s mill in Springville. The mill was expanded repeatedly and the oldest section was used to store grain. Not just grain that would be processed by the mill, but also extra grain stored by local farmers. It was in this storage area that the fire began in 1879, although nobody knew the exact cause. Fire companies did respond to the alarm but the mill and all adjoining buildings were lost. The fire also destroyed the mill’s dam and the resulting torrent of water took out another wooden dam downstream. The Mitchell Mill was built in 1878 at the end of Main Street along the Wisconsin River. This area is now the southern part of Pfiffner Park. The Mitchell Mill processed various feed grains and was able to ship completed products by rail, since the Wisconsin Central Company had a line that passed along the riverfront area. In 1920 the building was sold to the Jackson Milling Company which was using it as a storefront, and in 1924 the building caught fire and was fully engulfed. It took firefighters almost 6 hours to put out the blaze; thankfully the wind protected the lumber mills around it. In 1885 the G.E. McDill and Co. flouring mill was built along McDill pond. In 1896 the mill burned due to “spontaneous combustion” on the third floor. The company safe and some bags of flour were able to be saved, but the fire “burned hot” according to the newspaper report, and the entire structure was lost along with adjoining warehouses and sheds. Even a building across the pond couldn’t be saved when sparks from the flour mill floated across the water. A large quantity of grain and flour fell into the basement when the floors collapsed, and this pile was still burning 2 months later.
The above photos of the Rising Star Mill (1), Loberg's Flour and Feed Mill (2), and the Pagel Mill (3) are all examples of local mills that did not burn down. Photos from the PCHS collections.
Downtown Fires in Stevens Point
It was not the fires in sawmills or grain mills that spurred changes to Stevens Point fire codes, but the fires that repeatedly wiped out the downtown. Fires were occasionally contained to only their original building, but the use of pine wood for construction and the tight spaces between buildings often led to large conflagrations. In 1858 the first recorded multi-structure fire devastated downtown and burned 15 buildings. It was started by a kiln in the process of drying out pine wood for future construction. In 1861 four buildings were burned, and in 1866 the newest record-breaking fire damaged or destroyed 32 buildings. Again in 1874 this record was broken, and 39 buildings were damaged or destroyed. The 1874 fire cost the various business owners over $40,000, which would be over $1.25 million in 2024 currency. In 1885 nine buildings burned downtown and the Stevens Point Democrat ended their report of the blaze with “the value of brick and stone buildings in checking fire was fully demonstrated. It is a pity our city government had not courage enough to enforce the fire ordinances”. These ordinances outlawed the building of purely pine buildings in the downtown area and no longer allowed processed lumber to be stored downtown before being shipped elsewhere. But the Stevens Point Democrat’s pointed remarks fell on deaf ears, and later in the same year another 11 buildings burned downtown. After 1885 the massive downtown fires did slow down; this is likely due to a mixture of architectural changes and firefighting changes. Stone and brick were becoming more available and Stevens Point was investing in firefighters and better equipment for them.
To read the collected newspaper articles on local fires from 1853-1923, check out the PCHS bookstore for a copy of Major Fires in the Early Days of Stevens Point, 1853-1923.
Firefighting Gear in the 1800s
Portage County was lucky to have dedicated teams of volunteer firefighters in the early 1800s, and once formal teams were created, our county saw a dramatic increase in firefighting capability. Our firefighters were no longer volunteers but had dedicated gear and training to help save as many lives as possible. Beyond the upgrades in firefighting equipment the gear used by our teams also increased their protection. In 1836 Henry T. Gratacap designed the first “traditional” fire helmet. It had a dome-shaped top with a front shield and a brim that rolled to a long back tail; this allowed more protection from collapsing buildings and allowed water and debris to shed down the back of the helmet instead of the front. The helmet could be made of many materials but it was often brass. The 1830s is also when firefighters began wearing wool pants and coats with leather boots. Wool provided additional protection against sparks and heat, and the leather boots could be waterproofed to some degree. Before this point firefighters had to provide their own work clothes.
It was the 1800s when firefighters began to “bunk” at the local firehouses. It allowed for much faster response times as a team. In Stevens Point, the upper floor of Firehouse number 1 and number 2 were used as bunkhouses. When Firehouse number 2 was expanded, bathrooms and shower facilities were added to the building. Later, when the firepole was added to Firehouse number 2, the upstairs would have been even warmer for those sleeping around the firepole. The only heat sources were on the first floor. Brass helmets were traded out for other materials once electricity became commonplace in Portage County; the brass conducted electricity and harmed the firefighters.
It was the 1900s before rubber boots, jackets, and pants became available for firefighters. It was also the 1900s before local teams had access to gasoline-powered fire engines and the greater water pressure that came with the stronger pumps. Variations in hoses, nozzles, breathing masks, and protective gear all arrived after 1900.
Photos here show some of the firefighting tools used in Stevens Point, now on display in Historic Firehouse #2 on Strongs Avenue. A hose control tool (1), a classic wooden ladder and pair of hooks (2), two angles of the horse-drawn hose cart (3, 4), and the hand-drawn pump cart (5).
Firefighting Teams and Stations in Stevens Point
The first firefighting team recorded in Stevens Point was organized in 1858. A reservoir was dug into the center of the downtown square and a pump was installed to be used during future fires. The first bucket brigade consisted of Captain Martin Perkins, William Sutherland, John Peickert, George Miller, Peter Laraho, Charles Krembs, Henry Weltz, George Stenger, two Lutz brothers, and possibly other unnamed individuals. But the bucket brigade was not enough to stop large fires, like the one that destroyed most of Main Street in 1858. This disaster spurred the purchase of a hand-pump fire engine for the city, which arrived in March of 1860. It took 24 men working the pump to bring the water pressure up to full capacity, but wells and cisterns in the city did not have enough water to fuel the pump. In 1868 a 100-barrel cistern was added to the Square for use in future fires. This was still not enough water, and the lack of reliable water allowed fires to devastated downtown Stevens Point over and over.
The photos above show the first volunteer firefighting groups in Stevens Point, including some young boys dressed up like their heroes; the local firefighters. All photos from the PCHS collections.
By the late 1860s, being a firefighter was something to be proud of. No longer an unorganized group, by 1868 there was a constitution and by-laws that governed the Volunteer Company. Leading members of Stevens Point could be given honorary membership as long as they paid their $5 annual dues like everyone else. The Company held dances, oyster suppers, snack lunches, and enjoyed beer together, including local brews like that produced by Adam Kuhl.
Firehouse number 1 was built in 1874 on Second Street, north of College Avenue. It was first a one-story rectangular building, meant to house a new steam engine. In 1875 a second story was added and city records and the city clerk’s office were added to the firehouse. The firehouse did not have a team of horses, and instead relied on nearby teams to haul the steam engine. The first person to bring their horses and haul the steam engine to the fire, and later back to the firehouse, would be given $5. In 1876 a bell was added to the firehouse. When the bell was rung the first horse team at Firehouse number 1 would be hitched to the engine and would race to the fire. Ahead of them would often run a pair of stag hounds owned by the steam engine driver, Arthur Sturtevant, and the hounds would add their own “sirens” to the mix. In that same year, when a fire broke out in the Public Square, the first responding team were a passing farmer and his yoked pair of oxen. This may have been the push that city officials needed, because in 1877 the city finally bought a pair of horses to be stabled at Firehouse number 1. The large Morgans were considered “the best fire team the city ever owned”. The horses arrived at the firehouse just 20 minutes before an alarm sounded and they were able to answer the call. In 1883 the hand-pulled hose cart was replaced with a model that could be pulled by a horse; this was appreciated by the men who had been pulling the heavy cart through unpaved streets. A bay horse was purchased and stabled at Firehouse number 1 for that purpose, and the hose cart was driven by John Brinker. In Firehouse number 1 the horse tack was not stored on the wall like in most barns. Instead, the lines and collar were suspended from the ceiling. The horses could walk into the harness and with minimal adjustments they would be hitched to the pumper.
All photos of Firehouse number 1 (north side firehouse) are from the PCHS collections.
Firehouse number 2 was built in 1885 on Strongs Avenue, originally called the South Side Firehouse. It was built after a devastating fire at the Herren and Wadleigh planing mill. This building was originally a 2-story, rectangular construction. Both the front and back of the building had double sets of swinging doors. Horses were stabled outside in the back of the building. The first floor stored the tools the firefighters would use, including a horse-drawn steam engine and various leather hoses. On the second floor firefighters could bunk near the stairway and be ready for an alarm. The back third of the second floor was a hay mow used to store feed for the horses. The original stairway was located in the central part of the building, just in front of the hay mow. During a later expansion, that stairway was removed and replaced with the curved stairway we see in the building today.
All photos of Firehouse number 2 (south side firehouse) are from the PCHS collections.
There were decades of friendly competition between the firehouses; starting as early as 1888 there are records of horse races between the companies. This competition always drew supporters, but some local residents took it more seriously than others. While older folks would bet on the races, youngsters would organize groups to fight over the results. There was great pride for each firehouse, and children couldn't stand hearing their heroes be insulted when they lost a race.
All competition was set aside when the alarm bells rang. Both firehouses would respond to fires together. In 1889 Firehouse number 1 was the first team to use a hydrant for water pressure. Once the hydrants were up and running it was time to upgrade the firefighting equipment and upgrade the compensation for firefighters. Firefighters were being paid $15 per fire they attended, and on average each fireman was making $52.88 a year for their work. In 1892 the city adopted an ordinance providing for 4 paid firemen to be stationed at each firehouse, with starting pay at $35 per year. It was typical in this time for firefighting to be a constant job; some firemen kept track and claimed to have served for over a decade without getting a day off. It was around 1908 that schedules were updated and firefighters began to rotate on and off of duty. In 1901 the first fire alarms were installed in Stevens Point and in 1917 the first motorized pump engine was purchased by the city. Horses continued to be used by the firefighters until 1924.
In 1967 Stevens Point closed both the north and south side fire stations, and merged the forces into one building on Franklin Street, next to the UWSP campus. Firehouse number 1 was razed in 1984, and the alarm bell was eventually put in a memorial downtown for Ernestine Schumann-Heinke. Firehouse number 2 was owned by the city and used as a recycling sorting and storage center, a storage center for the Stevens Point police and a weightlifting location for the YMCA before the Portage County Historical Society acquired the property in 2006. Portage County now has 15 paid and volunteer fire departments.
Firefighters have continued to be a strong part of our community and continue to put their lives on the line when our city is in danger of going up in smoke. Be sure to thank your local firefighters for their centuries of perseverance.
Additional Resources
Rosholt, Malcolm. Our County Our Story. Portage County Board of Supervisors. 1959.
In the Early 19th Century, Firefighters Fought Fires… And Each Other.
Up in Smoke - A History of Firefighting
Fighting Fires in Old Homes
A History of the Mill Explosion
Peshtigo Fire
A history of Firefighter PPEhttps://www.fireengineering.com/firefighting-equipment/the-history-of-firefighter-personal-protective-equipment/
The Beauty and Danger in Victorian Glass Fire Grenades
Dunn County Fire in 1878, started between the ceiling and attic, likely due to insulation and heated stovepipe
Second Sacred Heart Church in Polonia, built 1881, burned in 1903
Horse-drawn fire wagon in Madison, 1890
Lack of firefighting resources can slow the work, 1847
Spontaneously combusting rags, 1848
Fire grenades used in Stevens Point, 1888
New hook and ladder truck for the city, 1888
Fire department offers training to use fire extinguishers, 1899
Homemade fire grenades and fire survival tips, 1899
Fire department history up to 1958
Fire department history, part 1, up to 1984
Fire department history part 2, up to 1984
Firefighting history up to 1992
コメント