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Firemen posing outside Seattle Fire Department, November 1889
Order an ImageThe creation of the Seattle Fire Department (SFD) can be traced back to July 6th, 1876, when the all-volunteer Seattle Engine Company No.1 was organized. In 1883, the City Charter was amended to create and fund equipment, but not staff, for a centralized municipal fire department. The volunteer-based system persisted until pressure from the insurance industry and citizens after the Great Seattle Fire of 1889 forced the city council to reform Seattle's seven volunteer companies into a paid, professional unit of 32 men organized into five district fire stations.
In this image members of Seattle's Fire Department pose at Third Avenue and University Street, in front of one of the five new firehouses built after the previous firehouses were destroyed in the Great Fire. The man second from the right is Gardner Kellogg (1839-1918), a volunteer firefighter since 1870, and the Department's first chief, from 1884-1901. Assistant Chief Carl Bassler stands first from the right.
Identifications, left to right: 1. Charles E Murray, driver, sitting on Gould Engine No. 2; 2. W. H. Clark, captain, No. 2; 3. J. E. Clark, lieutenant, No. 2; 4. George Parry, stoker, No. 2; 5. Arthur Soper, pipeman, No. 2; 6. Oscar Drew, engineer, No. 2; 7. G. R. Sterns, pipeman [or H. A. Smith]; 8. Charles Stanton, hook & ladder; 9. Otto Weide, engine No. 1, hook & ladder; 10. Hiram Caswell, driver No. 1, sitting on Babcock Hook & Ladder truck in center bay; 11. William Zahn [or Zann]; 12. Frank Bogan, captain; 13. Tom Gallaher; 14. James Wallace, lieutenant; 15. Tom J. Kelly, lieutenant; 16. Frank Elwin, stoker; 17. Fred A. Zahn, pipeman; 18. James Dunham, engineer; 19. A. B. "Jack" Hubbard, hose, sitting on Gould Engine No. 1; 20. A. B. Hunt, captain; 21. Chief Gardner Kellogg; 22. Asst. Chief Carl Bassler.
Caption information source: "Seattle Fire Department is created on October 17, 1889," by Alan J. Stein, HistoryLink.org Essay 3938
Caption information source: https://pauldorpat.com/2014/01/19/seattle-now-then-the-first-fire-department-hq
In this image members of Seattle's Fire Department pose at Third Avenue and University Street, in front of one of the five new firehouses built after the previous firehouses were destroyed in the Great Fire. The man second from the right is Gardner Kellogg (1839-1918), a volunteer firefighter since 1870, and the Department's first chief, from 1884-1901. Assistant Chief Carl Bassler stands first from the right.
Identifications, left to right: 1. Charles E Murray, driver, sitting on Gould Engine No. 2; 2. W. H. Clark, captain, No. 2; 3. J. E. Clark, lieutenant, No. 2; 4. George Parry, stoker, No. 2; 5. Arthur Soper, pipeman, No. 2; 6. Oscar Drew, engineer, No. 2; 7. G. R. Sterns, pipeman [or H. A. Smith]; 8. Charles Stanton, hook & ladder; 9. Otto Weide, engine No. 1, hook & ladder; 10. Hiram Caswell, driver No. 1, sitting on Babcock Hook & Ladder truck in center bay; 11. William Zahn [or Zann]; 12. Frank Bogan, captain; 13. Tom Gallaher; 14. James Wallace, lieutenant; 15. Tom J. Kelly, lieutenant; 16. Frank Elwin, stoker; 17. Fred A. Zahn, pipeman; 18. James Dunham, engineer; 19. A. B. "Jack" Hubbard, hose, sitting on Gould Engine No. 1; 20. A. B. Hunt, captain; 21. Chief Gardner Kellogg; 22. Asst. Chief Carl Bassler.
Caption information source: "Seattle Fire Department is created on October 17, 1889," by Alan J. Stein, HistoryLink.org Essay 3938
Caption information source: https://pauldorpat.com/2014/01/19/seattle-now-then-the-first-fire-department-hq
ID Number: SHS700
Date: 1889
Physical Description: 1 photographic print: b&w ; 7 x 9.5 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, SHS700
Copyright: No Known Copyright