> Dear David:
> The current fire museums in New York and Boston both claim very recent
> founding dates in the AAM Directory:
>
> New York City Fire Museum--1987
>
> Boston Fire Museum--1983
>
> The two that you mention may have been in operation and then
> dissolved. These are hard to track, but would be interesting.
>
> Sincerely,
> Hugh
Hugh H. Genoways
Professor
W436 Nebraska Hall
University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Lincoln, NE 68588-0514
On May 5, 2005, at 10:20 AM, David Lewias wrote:
> Interesting topic!!
>
> You asked about "specialty" musuems -- firefighting museums have as
> their origins the volunteer fire companies of the 19th century. When
> not busy fighting fires, they organized balls, competitions, and
> grand excursions to visit other fire companies. All these activities
> were accompanied with gifts -- certificates of appreciation,
> presentation items, photographs, and trophies of every sort. Naturaly
> "relic rooms" were created to house this collection -- and the rest
> (as they say) is history.....
>
> I have two short news clippings that talk about early fire museums.
> The first, ("Fireman's Journal" Nov. 6 1886), describes a "firemen's
> museum" in Boston. The second ("National Fireman's Journal, Jan. 12
> 1874) mentions a New York City firemen's "relic room."
>
> The oldest fire company in *continued* existance (thought this too is
> contested) is the Rainbow Fire Co. of Reading PA (1773). The Liberty
> Fire Co. (also of Reading) is now home to the fledgling "Reading Area
> Firefighters Museum" which provides a fantastic peek into the fire
> museums of the past! It'll make most museum professionals cringe --
> everything is as it was displayed 100years ago, the upulstered
> furniature is still used by the membership, they have 18ft tall
> windows on most walls (with minimal shading), and there's no labels or
> interpertation! -- but despite this all it's a neat place, and like
> most small museums, they're trying to do the imposible on a shoestring
> budget.
>
> Reading Area FireFighters Museum
> http://www.readingpafire.com/museum/museum.htm
>
>
> -----------------------------------------------------------------
>
> - David -
> David Lewis, Curator
> Aurora Regional Fire Museum
> and webguy for the Fire Museum Network
>
>
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Hugh H. Genoways
Professor
W436 Nebraska Hall
University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Lincoln, NE 68588-0514
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