Image of a membership certificate from the Firemen's Benevolent Society of Hartford, Connecticut, made out in manuscript to William H. Porter and dated February 8, 1858, with a central image of firefighters with hoses, ladders, and manual fire engines amassed on the street and tree-filled park before the Old State House in Hartford, Connecticut, to fight a fire burning in a nearby building labeled with the signs "Elihu Geer Job & Card Printer" and "Case Nevers & Co."; with surrounding buildings labeled "Eagle Tavern" "Exchange Office" and "Oswin Welles," and spectators and a displaced family with their household belongings standing on the street; with a small vignette of a fire hose carriage at bottom center; the image presumably depicts the August 9, 1839, fire in the Mitchell Building on State Street. Date span based on depiction of an 1839 fire and engraver history and year certificate was issued to recipient; J.G. Kellogg settled in Hartford around 1841. "Drawn and Engraved [space] by J.G. Kellogg."--text, bottom center margin. "Lettering by E.Tappan"--text, bottom center margin. "This may Certify that Wm. H. Porter was admitted a Member of the Firemen's Benevolent Society of the City of Hartford. Feb. 8th 1858. John G. Parsons, Secretary. Allyn S. Stillman, President."--text of certificate, printed and handwritten.
Type
image
Extent
1 engraving : uncolored ; overall 36.99 x 46.99 cm (14 9/16 x 18 1/2 in.)
Hartford (Conn.)--Buildings, Structures, etc.--Pictorial works Hartford (Conn.)--Pictorial works Old State House (Hartford, Conn.)--Pictorial works Fire departments Fire extinction--Equipment and supplies--Pictorial works Fire fighters--Pictorial works Fires--Pictorial works Firemen's Benevolent Society Intaglio prints--1825-1850. (gmgpc) Intaglio prints--1850-1875. (gmgpc) Certificates. (gmgpc)
Place
Hartford (Conn.)
Source
Jay T. Last Collection Firefighting Large Size The Jay T. Last Collection of Graphic Arts and Social History, Huntington Digital Library
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