First Firehouse Location

The date on this photograph is 1917. It shows the Silsby Steam Pumper at the entrance to the first firehouse on Commercial Street. There are no horses in the picture because it is a staged photograph taken by John Runk at that time. The Fire Department was located on North Third Street in 1917 as were the horses and the Silsby Pumper. The Silsby Steam Pumper was sold to the La France Company and it was stored at the location of the first firehouse until it could be picked up. The horses and the steam pumper were being replaced by a new self-powered fire engine. This building is no longer there in 2024. This firehouse was in operation until 1887 when the firehouse was moved to North Third Street near the present Trinity Lutheran Church. The photograph is from the John Runk Collection, courtesy of the Minnesota Historical Society.

The horses were specially selected and well-trained before they entered into service. They were the most expensive part of running the City Fire Department. Although the video shows scenes from other cities, it is representative of Stillwater’s early horse-drawn equipment. The video is sourced from the Aurora, Illinois Fire Museum through their courtesy and with their permission. The horses were always eager to pull these heavy pieces of equipment. They were not afraid of fire, smoke and water spray. The first Fire Station was located at this low level, near the river water. It had to be hard to pull the apparatus up Stillwater’s steep hills. The later fire station was located uphill about two blocks away, near Trinity Lutheran Church.

This is what stands at this location in 2019.

Google Maps Street View

Firehouse Location, 1884 Sanborn Fire Map

A different view from 1895

This photo was taken in 1895 by Mr. Frederick Holcombe of Stillwater. He took this photo from the cupola of the Washington County Courthouse at that time. Holcombe was the son of the sheriff and was very familiar with the courthouse because his family lived there while his father was in office. His family was responsible for the care of prisoners held in the jail cells at the courthouse. Frederick was an accomplished amateur photographer and took these photos using early glass emulsion coatings. He built his own camera and developed the negatives and made prints of his work.

Fire Equipment Listing in 1884

Source is the Sanborn Fire Map of Stillwater, 1884, courtesy of the Stillwater Public Library