Officials from the Houston Fire Museum took a tour of the historic Fire Station No. 6 on Jan. 20, and contributed some more history to the building. Museum executive director Tristan Smith supplied snippets of some of crew members who worked at the 1702 Washington Ave. location, which opened in 1903. Information on its personnel [...]
A factory image of a 1912 ALF, Type 12 PUMP (no tank) fire apparatus, which was shipped by manufacturer American LaFrance of Elmira, N.Y., to HFD No. 6 on Aug. 6, 1912. The truck features a six-cylinder engine, gas-powered (not electric) lights, a searchlight and a hand-cranked siren. According to Ray Bennett of the American [...]
The Houston Fire Department No. 6 crew, stationed at 1702 Washington Avenue in this 1927 photo, was led by Capt. Emery Hard (third from left). According to HFD personnel historian Scott Mellott, by the late 1920s, the entire HFD fleet was motorized, replacing the horse-drawn steamer. Both types were made by American LaFrance, one of [...]
Ultra Modern in 1903 Houston. Fire Station No. 6, originally organized in 1873 with 45 men and known as Mechanic No. 6, was by 1903 one of only seven fire stations serving the rapidly growing city of Houston. At the turn of the last century, Houston had become a thriving city of 44,633, fueled by [...]
Fire Station No. 6 was originally named Mechanic No. 6 because the team of volunteer firefighters was primarily made up of mechanics. When the wagons of No. 6 hit the road, they expected all vehicles and pedestrians to give them the right of way, even other firefighting teams. “Rough and Ready” Firefighters The toughness of [...]