New York City Fire Museum

Are you an #FDNY history buff? Don’t forget to listen to our latest Throwback FDNY Podcast episode on Apple, Spotify, and Google Play!

#ThrowbackThursday to #FDNY’s short-lived Radiological Unit. Learn more in Episode 7 of our Throwback FDNY Podcast available NOW on Apple, Spotify, and Google Play. Also, sign up for the Museum’s companion Throwback FDNY newsletter at nycfiremuseum.org/throwbackfdny

As you all know by now, the NYC Fire Museum has been severely impacted by the pandemic, as have most cultural institutions. We thank all of you that have already responded to our appeal for donations to keep us going. If you would like to make a donation, see the link above to do so. Did you know you can make additional contributions without it costing you anything? All you have to do is select the NYC Fire Museum as the charity you would like to support on Amazon Smile. We will get a donation for every purchase you make on www.Smile.Amazon.com!! Alyssa Borger of our staff has prepared a brief video to show you how to set it up. Again, thank you all for your continued support!!

Flashback Friday What do targets, or target companies, have to do with the fire service? Well, a lot actually. Back in the early days of volunteer fire companies, in fact, right up to today throughout the fire service, there have been social organizations formed to enhance the camaraderie of members. As early as the 1850’s fire companies in New York City hosted clubs unrelated to firefighting, one of which were target companies. Apparently, these were formed along the li...nes of military organizations. While they may have been drill teams as we think of them today, a component of their activities was, as their name implies, shooting. They would take excursions from the city out to the country for their meets. According to Augustine Costello in his landmark book, Our Firemen, Black Joke Engine 33 was the first to organize such an outing. Their target company was named, Black Joke Volunteers. The New York City Fire Museum has one artifact that may have been something used for target practice. It is from the Neptune Steam Fire Engine Company No. 2 of the Paterson New Jersey Fire Department. It is a souvenir from the last outing held as a volunteer company, as the department transitioned to being a paid organization. That excursion took them to Kearny, New Jersey. As seem, it is riddled with bullet holes!!! The artifact is displayed in the Museum’s second-floor gallery.

#ThrowbackThursday to the tenure of Chief of Department John Kenlon beginning in 1911, a storied career that started at sea and ended up in a NYC firehouse. Learn more in Episode 7 of our Throwback #FDNY Podcast available NOW on Apple, Spotify, and Google Play. Also, sign up for the Museum’s companion Throwback FDNY newsletter at nycfiremuseum.org/throwbackfdny

Flashback Friday - Hugh Bonner was born in Ireland and came to the United States while still a boy. Bonner joined one of the NYC volunteer companies, Engine 14, quickly becoming its Foreman, or Captain. When the paid Department was organized in 1865 he was accepted for employment and carried over his rank of Foreman in Engine Company 20. In 1873 he became a Battalion Chief in charge of Battalion 2. He rose through the ranks becoming a Second Assistant Chief in 1883, First ...Assistant Chief in 1884 and was made Chief of Department in 1889. Chief Bonner had a curious habit. He kept an unlit cigar in his mouth while combating a blaze and upon declaring the fire under control he would light up the cigar and thoroughly enjoy it! He served as Chief of Department until 1899 when he was replaced by Chief Edward Croker. It was long believed that Croker’s appointment was a political one based on his relationship to his uncle Richard Croker, head of the Tammany Hall political machine. In 1902, President Roosevelt tapped Bonner to become Chief of the Manila (Philippines) Fire Department. The United States took possession of the Philippines after its victory against Spain in 1898. Bonner spent two years in that island nation organizing its fire service. FDNY Chaplain, Reverend James LeBaron Johnson endowed a medal in the name of Chief Bonner in 1897. It is awarded annually. In his endowment, Rev. Johnson referred to Bonner as, a stalwart Chief of Department who preferred to rule by example. Not long after his return to the United States, he was called into the service of the FDNY again as Deputy Commissioner in 1906 and was appointed Commissioner in 1908. Unfortunately, he died of pneumonia only four months later. Perhaps his final act as Commissioner was to replace the aged, rotten hose throughout the Department which was believed to have contributed to the fatalities of two firefighters and one Fire Patrolman at the Parker Building fire that year. The NYC Fire Museum has numerous artifacts related to Chief Bonner. Perhaps the most unusual is a bust of him that was previously on display when the Museum was located on Duane Street.

#ThrowbackThursday to the 1865 selection of Elisha Kingsland to be the first Chief of Department of the newly organized Metropolitan Fire Department, in what would become the #FDNY. He was a well-respected and a tough Fire Officer known for his tenacity and courage. Learn more in Episode 4 of our Throwback FDNY Podcast available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and Google Play. Signup for our companion Throwback FDNY newsletter at nycfiremuseum.org/throwbackfdny

Flashback Friday - As any fan of the FDNY knows, its members have a long and illustrious history of developing new devices to improve the safety and efficiency of firefighting. We have presented some of these in the past, like the Halligan Tool and the Heffernan Distributor. Today, we look at a tool that not only addressed difficult firefighting challenges, it also paved the way for other industries. Hugh Bonner served the FDNY from the late 1850’s during the volunteer era,... until his passing in 1908. He held every uniformed position up to Chief of Department and was appointed Fire Commissioner shortly before he died. His invention was a nozzle, like the Bresnan and Quayle Distributors, to fight fires in cellars. But it was different from those by way of it incorporating two S-shaped, revolving nozzles, each with two orifices. Additionally, not only would each nozzle rotate on its central axis, the nozzle assembly it self would rotate. It has an effective radius of water distribution of approximately fifteen feet, thereby covering a thirty-foot area. One drawback was that all the gears for the rotational features were exposed and subject to clogging by debris. Around 1925, Arthur Butterworth learned of the Bonner Distributor and thought that he could create a water distributing nozzle that could be used to clean cargo tanks on ocean-going vessels. He patented the first automated tank cleaning machine, based on the design of the Bonner Distributor. Not only was he successful in doing so, he built a company to sell his cleaning system, whose use has been expanded beyond the marine application, to other industries. The company is still in business and some of its representatives have visited the NYC Fire Museum to see an original Bonner Distributor that was the inspiration for their company. Not only do we have several Bonner Distributors in our collection, we also have many items attributed to Chief/Commissioner Bonner, which we will feature in a future Flashback Friday.

#ThrowbackThursday to the 1947 fire that completely destroyed Manhattan's Pier 57. Learn more about #FDNY operations at this spectacular blaze in Episode 4 of our Throwback FDNY Podcast available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and Google Play. Signup for our companion Throwback FDNY newsletter at nycfiremuseum.org/throwbackfdny

In Episode 4 of the Throwback FDNY Podcast... the first Chief of Department is sworn into office in 1865, operations at the massive Grace Land Pier Fire of 1947 and the 1965 rollout of the extraordinary, extra large and extra expensive Superpumper System. #FDNY history buffs can find the show on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and Google Play. Also, sign up for the Museum’s companion Throwback FDNY newsletter at nycfiremuseum.org/throwbackfdny

Flashback Friday - Adorning the easternmost bay of the Museum, "Firefighters" by artist Steve Linn is a life-size sculpture depicting two firefighters entering a broken window from a fire escape. The piece, measuring 9 feet high by 10.5 feet wide by 3 feet deep, was created in 1989 and was originally on display as part of a one-man show at the Louis K. Meisel Gallery in Soho. Linn considers the work to be a tribute to New York City Firefighters. The firefighter figures are made of sand-blasted glass, except for one hand, which is cast glass. The brick wall, window frame, and lintel are cast bronze, and the fire escape and hose line are made of wood. A companion piece to "Firefighters", entitled "Rescue 20" is part of the permanent collection of the Museum of American Glass in Millville, New Jersey.

On September 11, the workers across the street building the new Disney/ABC7 headquarters stopped and came to the Museum to commemorate the tragic events of that day 19 years ago. They held a moment of silence, flew two American flags to represent the two towers (one of which they presented to the Museum) and had a bagpiper play. Workers at a building on Hudson Street stopped what they were doing and watched from their roof. Mike Marrone, Supervisor of the site for LendLease organized the gathering and gave a moving, emotional speech reminding everyone how lucky we are to be alive and how we must never forget the sacrifices of nearly 3,000 people on 9/11/01.

Flashback Friday Today we highlight one of our more beautiful pieces the hose carriage of Steinway Hose 7 of the Long Island City Fire Department. The company went into service some time around 1870 to 1871. It was then that William Steinway, one of the sons of Steinway and Sons piano manufacturers, purchased 400 acres of land to move their factory. But they did not only build a factory, they built an entire village to house their employees, along with a beautiful ma...nsion for the Steinway clan that still stands today. The degree to which they funded the hose company is uncertain, but what is for sure is that it bears the family name. This hose cart was built by the famous fire apparatus manufacturer, the Silsby Company of Seneca Falls,, New York around 1875. It was housed in the company’s quarters on Steinway Street near, what is now, Shore Road. When the LIC Fire Department converted to a paid service in 1891 and Steinway Hose 7 was disbanded, the Long Island City Exempt Firemen’s Association purchased the rig and used it in parades and other events. They completely refurbished it in 1930. When the Exempts disbanded, it was purchased by Alfred Smith for his Home Insurance Company fire collection. And when that collection was liquidated, it was donated to the FDNY for its museum. Steinway Hose 7 has long been on display at the NYC Fire Museum and went through some restoration work several years ago under a grant from American Express. It is a favorite among Museum visitors. It is on display in our second floor gallery.

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Flashback Friday - This 8-comb leather helmet belonged to FDNY Assistant Chief Joseph B. Martin, more commonly known as "Smokey Joe" Martin. It was presented to him on April 11, 1928 by Honorary Deputy Chief William F. Kenny. The high-eagle held the gold frontpiece in place, which reads "Assistant Chief", below a design of three crossed speaking trumpets. A silver badge on the rear brim (see photo) reads "Presented to ASST. CHIEF/JOSEPH B. MARTIN/BY HONORARY DEPUTY CHIEF/WM....Continue reading

The New York City Fire Museum is honoring the 19th anniversary of 9/11 by offering free admission to visitors on Sept. 11. Advance ticketing is required. We truly hope that anyone who has come to visit the FDNY 343 Memorial since 2002 has been provided a place to reflect on the Fire Department’s darkest day while coming face to face with our fallen heroes. We will #NeverForget #FDNY

The New York City Fire Museum’s 9/11 Wreath Laying Ceremony at the FDNY 343 Memorial is streaming now at nycfiremuseum.org #NeverForget #FDNY