In the mid-1880s, Victor Denny (left) and Luther Youngs (right) were members of Seattle’s all-volunteer fire department. Denny was born in Seattle to one of the city's founding fathers, David Denny, was a student at the time of this photograph. Youngs, a carpenter, had moved to Seattle in 1883 from Kentucky. In June 1889, in spite of the best efforts of Seattle’s volunteer fire fighters (which probably included Denny and Youngs), the Great Seattle Fire destroyed much of Seattle’s business district and waterfront. The city established its paid, professional Seattle Fire Department in October 1889.
In this studio portrait, Victor Winfield Scott Denny (1869-1921) and Luther Burns Youngs (1860-1923) pose together in their uniforms. The panel or shield on the front of Denny's uniform reads, "UNION 3," and Youngs' reads, "2nd Asst, 3." Denny went on to work with his father in the mining business while Youngs served as the head of Seattle's Water Department from 1895 to 1923.
ID Number: 1969.4689.1
Date: Circa 1885
Physical Description: 1 tintype : b&w ; 3.5 x 5 in.
Additional Information: Digital copy of this item available thanks to funding from a 2016 Institute for Museum and Library Services grant. Metadata updated as part of a grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services administered by the Library Services and Technology Act, through the Washington State Library, a division of the Office of the Secretary of State.
Credit: MOHAI, Luther B. Youngs Seattle Water Department Lantern Slide Collection, 1969.4689.1
