Title supplied by cataloger. In September of 1871, George M. Fall, the County Clerk for Los Angeles County organized Engine Company No. 1. This volunteer firefighting force disbanded in 1874 after the City Council refused to purchase horses to pull the fire engine and hose jumper - equipment that had previously been hand-drawn to fires. Soon after, many of the former members reorganized under the name of Thirty-Eights-No. 1. In May 1875, Engine Co. No. 2 was organized under the name Confidence Engine Company. In 1877, the first horses were bought for the fire department. In 1878, a third fire company was formed and was named Park Hose Co. No. 1. Five years later, in 1883, the East Los Angeles Hose Co. No. 2 was formed. And the final volunteer company, called Morris Vineyard Hose Co. No. 3, forming in the fall of 1883. All of these companies remained in service until February 1, 1886, when the present paid Los Angeles Fire Department came into existence. When it was officially formed, it had 4 fire stations, 2 steam fire engines, 2 hose reels, a hose wagon, a 65' aerial ladder truck, 31 paid firefighters, 24 reserve firefighters, and 11 horses to protect 30 square miles and a population of 50,000. Today, the LAFD has 106 fire stations and nearly 3,600 uniformed personnel offering fire prevention, firefighting, emergency medical care, technical rescue, hazardous materials mitigation, disaster response, public education and community service to a resident population of more than 4 million people who live in the agency's 471 square mile jurisdiction. First steam engine in its new building on Dayton Street, 1889. Several men and horse-drawn carriages can be seen next to the steam engine, in front of a fire station. Information on verso reads: "In 1889, a Silsby engine was purchased, arriving on July 6, 1889 much to the joy of the jolly fire boys, who never got tired of polishing up its shining silver and steel works. In honor of the event the engine was christened M.M. Parker, who at the time was president of the board of trustees. The engine was housed in a building on Delacy Street and the horses kept in Wiley & Greeley's stable close by. On December 3, 1889, the Dayton Street engine house was completed, and the apparatus moved here. Pasadena - Historical and Personal, By J.W. Wood". Photograph dated: 1937.
Type
Image
Format
1 photographic print :b&w ;21 x 26 cm. Photographic prints
Pasadena (Calif.).--Fire Department Engine companies--California--Pasadena Steam-engines--California--Pasadena Fire stations--California--Pasadena Fire fighters--California--Pasadena Pasadena (Calif.)
If you're wondering about permissions and what you can do with this item, a good starting point is the "rights information" on this page. See our terms of use for more tips.
Share your story
Has Calisphere helped you advance your research, complete a project, or find something meaningful? We'd love to hear about it; please send us a message.
