Brooklyn Firefighting Collection, 1825-1949 (Bulk Dates: 1850-1900). 33 cubic feet (10 document boxes, 14 records cartons, 44 unboxed ledgers).
ArMs 1989.006
The Brooklyn Firefighting Collection comprises records of firefighters, their organizations, and activities in the village, city, and borough of Brooklyn from 1825 through 1945. The bulk of the collection covers a span of over one century, during which time firefighting in Brooklyn evolved from a six man volunteer force to a paid department employing over ten-thousand men. Firefighting played an important social and political role in early Brooklyn, and the influence of firefighters and firefighting associations is tracked in this collection. The materials in the collection offer insight into the development of firefighting practices during the nineteenth century and illustrate how Brooklyn’s massive nineteenth century population growth and the city’s growing prominence as a seat of industry affected the city’s need for a reliable and modern fire department.
The files in this collection represent a portion of the material generated by several Brooklyn and King’s County volunteer fire companies and by related local, county, state, and national organizations, between 1825 and 1949. The bulk of the material spans the time period between 1850 and 1900. Included in the collection are: appointments, bids, bonds, broadsides, certificates, circulars, clippings, communications, contracts, correspondence, deeds, drawings, estimates, ledgers, letters, minutes, notices, orders, petitions, receipts, recommendations, regulations, reports, requests, resolutions, rolls, rosters, speeches, and telegrams.
Subject Headings:
- Brooklyn (New York, N.Y.)
- Engine companies – New York (State) – New York
- Fire departments – New York – Brooklyn
- Fire departments – equipment and Supplies
- Fire departments – Law and legislation – New York
- Fire departments – New York (State) – New York
- Fire engines
- Fire extinction – New York – Brooklyn – History
- Fire extinction – Long Island – History
- Fire fighters
- Fire fighters – New York – Brooklyn
- Fire fighters – Pensions – New York – Brooklyn
- Fire stations – New York – Brooklyn
- Fires – New York – Brooklyn
- Ladder companies – New York (State) – New York
- Municipal services – New York (State) – New York