Archives West Finding Aid
Table of Contents
Missoula Fire Department Photographs and Scrapbooks, 1887-1962
Overview of the Collection
- Creator
- Missoula Fire Department
- Title
- Missoula Fire Department Photographs and Scrapbooks
- Dates
- 1887-1962 (inclusive)18871962
- Quantity
- 55 photographs and 1 roll microfilm
- Collection Number
- Mss 507
- Summary
- The Missoula Fire Department Photographs and Scrapbooks contain images, newspaper clippings, thank you notes, and party invitations from 1887-1962. Most materials relate to fire fighting in Missoula, Montana, politics, and obituaries. Some of the photographs also feature fire departments from other Montana cities and towns, including Anaconda, Butte, and Great Falls. The collection is on negative film and microfilm.
- Repository
-
University of Montana, Mansfield Library, Archives and Special Collections
Archives and Special Collections
Maureen and Mike Mansfield Library
University of Montana
32 Campus Dr. #9936
59812-9936
Missoula, MT
Telephone: 406-243-2053
library.archives@umontana.edu - Access Restrictions
-
Researchers must use collection in accordance with the policies of Archives and Special Collections, the Maureen and Mike Mansfield Library, and The University of Montana-Missoula.
- Languages
- English
Historical NoteReturn to Top
Missoula Fire Department records are incomplete prior to 1900, but there is evidence dating from the mid 1870s of the presence of a volunteer fire department in Missoula, Montana. On February 16, 1901 the fire department was incorporated with the city. Upon incorporation the city government hired a fire marshal/chief, two drivers and other staff as the City Council deemed necessary, but most of the fire fighters at this time remained volunteers. In 1911 the Missoula Fire Department became fully funded by the city, transitioning from an organization relying on volunteers to one consisting of paid staff. The Missoula Fire Department continues to operate as a service of the City of Missoula.
Content DescriptionReturn to Top
The Missoula Fire Department Photographs and Scrapbooks contain images, newspaper clippings, thank you notes from families and individuals to the fire department, and invitations to fire fighter dances in towns across Montana and Idaho. Many of the photographs depict the Missoula Fire Department's station building, personnel, equipment, and response to structure fires from the late 1800s to the mid-1900s. In addition, some of the images feature fire departments from other Montana cities and towns, including Anaconda, Butte, and Great Falls. The majority of the newspaper clippings come from Missoula newspapers, but other publications are included such as The Great Falls Tribune, The Anaconda Standard, The Portland Telegram, and The Victoria Daily Times (British Columbia, Canada). Most of the newspaper clippings in these scrapbooks pertain to issues directly related to fire fighting including fire fighting innovations, fire prevention, fire deaths and damages, fire chief profiles, fire fighter conferences, and political decisions that impacted funding. Other articles refer to local news and contemporary social and cultural issues.
Use of the CollectionReturn to Top
Restrictions on Use
Researchers are responsible for using in accordance with 17 U.S.C. and any other applicable statutes. Copyright not transferred to the University of Montana
Preferred Citation
Missoula Fire Department Photographs and Scrapbooks, Archives and Special Collections, Maureen and Mike Mansfield Library, The University of Montana-Missoula.
Administrative InformationReturn to Top
Arrangement
The collection is arranged in two series.
Series I: Photographs, 1887-1956, 55 images
Series II: Scrapbooks, 1896-1962, 1 roll of microfilm
Location of Originals
The location of the originals is unknown
Custodial History
The Missoula Fire Department held the items in this collection.
Acquisition Information
Chief Robert Kelly loaned the scrapbooks and photographs in this collection to the University of Montana Archives and Special Collections in 1970 and 1976 for duplication. The originals were returned to the Missoula Fire Department.
Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top
Series I: Photographs, 1887-1956Return to Top
Container(s) | Description | Dates |
---|---|---|
photo_number | ||
76-0273 | Police funeral in Butte, Montana Rows of police officers march down a street in Butte. The officers in the front rows hold rifles.
|
Undated |
76-0274 | Fire engine |
Undated |
76-0275 | Missoula fire engine with team Missoula fire engine with team of horses (Mac and Lyle) in fron of Central Livery Stables, 206 West Main Street. Palace Shoeing Shop is in the background.
|
circa 1909 |
76-0276 | Hook and ladder in Butte, Montana Hook and ladder wagon of the Butte Fire Department parked in front of the Queen City Saloon and Hollands Restaurant
|
Undated |
76-0277 | Shapard Hotel fire in Missoula, Montana This fire destroyed three buildings on the 400 block of N. Higgins Avenue. Yandt's occupied the ground floor of Ross Block, on the northwest corner of Higgins and Pine Street. (This building was rebuilt and, as of 2018, is occupied by Sushi Hana). The upper two levels of the Ross Block building housed the Montana Army Induction Center. The Greenhold Block next door (moving north on Higgins Ave.) was made up of Gamble Stores and the Shapard Hotel (those lots are occupied by the Higgins Plaza, as of 2018). The Priess Hotel, across the alley from the Shapard, was undamaged. The January 2, 1942 issue of the Missoulian provides coverage of this fire.
|
January 1, 1942 |
76-0278 | Missoula Fire Department fire engine Two firemen sit on the wagon, and two more firemen stand beside.
|
circa 1910 |
76-0279 | Missoula Fire Department building Firemen with equipment dressed out for a parade; flags fly above and a bell tower is at the top of the building
|
circa 1887 |
76-0280 | Missoula firemen in front of station Left to right, back row: "Chick" White, "Nosy" Jamison, Ed Wolschlager, Fritz Kofman, Chris Christensen, unidentified; front row: unidentified, Henry Wolf, Bob Burger (chief), Broderick, unidentified
|
1897 |
76-0281 | Stevens-Duryea fire engine Ex-chief P.F. Loffnes at the wheel; Peter Loffnes was fire chief from 1912-1919.
|
Undated |
76-0282 | Missoula firemen Kern, Nielson, Kelly, Sam Brechbill, Burk, Walter Brechbill, A. Quinn, Claude Rooney, and Chief Cranney
|
1920 |
76-0283 | March 1918 | |
76-0284 | Butte, Montana Oblique-angle view of Butte
|
1898 |
76-0285 | circa 1892 | |
76-0286 | Higgins Avenue Bridge, washed out by flood of 1908 The iron truss section is the southern-most of two such sections of the Higgins Avenue bridge, which existed prior to the 1908 flood. The two sections were separated by a wooden trestle segment supported on an island in the middle of the river. The wooden segments were largely washed away. The two truss sections were connected to the respective river banks by wooden sections that were also washed away. The truss sections were salvaged and moved to Van Buren Street. The view is to the south based, in part, on the power poles being tilted in a downstream direction.
|
1908 |
76-0287 | St. James Hotel in Butte, Montana Group of men standing in front. The St. James Hotel was located near the intersection of Utah and Arizona Avenues. The hotel, located across from the train depot, served as a railroad workers' lodging place.
|
Undated |
76-0288 | Missoula firemen Men stand in the street in a line in front of vehicles. Storefronts are visible behind them; photo by R.H. McKay
|
1918 |
76-0289 | April 3, 1893 | |
76-0290 | Missoula Fire Department firemen Posed in overcoats and helmets on street in front of fire equipment
|
1891 |
76-0291 | Missoula Fire Department building and equipment Horse-drawn engines and firemen posed in front of station. Advertising on building next door for Capital Beerhall. Powerline poles can be seen next to the station.
|
circa 1897 |
76-0292 | Missoula Fire Department practicing for building evacuation Men on ropes climbing outside building window. Net on ground below them
|
1913 |
76-0293 | Missoula Fire Departmant firemen and building Men are standing in front of the building, and two horses are hitched to a carriage standing in the doorway. Large pile of split logs can be seen next to fire station.
|
1892 |
76-0294 | Bitterroot branch railroad bridge over the Clark Fork River, flood of 1908 |
1908 |
76-0295 | Collapsed bridge to island in Clark Fork River near Wilma Building, flood of 1956 |
June 23, 1956 |
76-0296 | Fire in 1898 |
1898 |
76-0297 | Fire horses killed in line of duty in Butte, Montana |
January 15, 1895 |
76-0298 | Missoula Fire Department Four men and three dogs in doorway of a brick building. The men stand while the dogs sit on chairs.
|
Undated |
76-0368 | circa 1915 | |
76-0453 | Missoula Fire House |
1897 |
76-0454 | Missoula Fire Department Horse-drawn fire engines on the street in downtown Missoula; photo by R.H. McKay
|
1909 |
76-0455 | Horse-drawn steam-powered fire pump Three men inspecting a horse-drawn steam-powered fire pump on West Front Street in Missoula, Montana; photo by R.H. McKay
|
1911 |
76-0456 | Horse-drawn fire wagons Firemen posed with horse-drawn fire wagons parked in front of the old City Hall at the Missoula Fire Department building
|
circa 1910 |
76-0457 | Missoula Hook and Ladder Company |
1891 |
76-0458 | Missoula Fire Department trucks and cars |
1948 |
76-0459 | Missoula Hook and Ladder Company Horse-drawn fire wagon sits parked in front of Boyd Brothers Livery Stable in Missoula, Montana
|
circa 1905 |
76-0460 | Great Falls Fire Department Firemen posed on a horse-drawn fire wagon in Great Falls, Montana
|
1892 |
76-0461 | Trucks and men from Missoula Fire Station No. 1 |
circa 1960 |
76-0462 | Missoula Fire Department |
circa 1900 |
76-0463 | Missoula Fire Station Steam-powered fire engine and firemen
|
1899 |
76-0464 | Missoula Fire Department Firemen participating in a parade as it passes the corner of Broadway and Higgins Avenues
|
circa 1900 |
76-0465 | Missoula Fire Department W.M. Brandstone (standing next to horse-drawn rig), dog, and Dan
|
circa 1902 |
76-0466 | 1905 | |
76-0467 | Missoula Hose Company Missoula Fire Department personnel
|
1891 |
76-0468 | Missoula Fire Department Left to right: Claude Luke, Chief Eat 'em Saw Log, John Shelly, Roscoe Small; horses: Jack and Frank
|
1911 |
76-0469 | Missoula fire horses |
circa 1900 |
76-0470 | Missoula Fire Department, Engine No. 1 Left to right: Martin Burke, Jim Kelly, Mike Riley, Jim Cranney, Joe McFarland, Sloon Davis, Claude Harpster, A.K. Fox, and Chief; photo by R.H. McKay
|
1915 |
76-0471 | Missoula Fire Department Car and horse team
|
1911 |
76-0472 | Missoula Hose Company Taken at the corner of Stephens Avenue and Main Street
|
1891 |
76-0473 | Missoula Fire Department Four members of the Missoula Fire Department posed on a horse-drawn fire wagon as it sits parked in front of Boyd Bros. Livery Stable and G. Marotz Saddlery
|
circa 1906 |
76-0474 | Missoula Fire Department Three members of the Missoula Fire Department posed on and in front of complex steam-powered horse-drawn fire pump parked in front of J.P. Nagle's Central Livery Stables
|
circa 1909 |
76-0475 | Missoula Volunteer Fire Department "Champion Wet Test Running Team for Montana, Missoula Volunteer Fire Department" taken at the old fair grounds site of the sugar factory (sugar factory is no longer there.)
|
Undated |
76-0480 | Shapard Hotel fire in Missoula, Montana Fifteen below zero; photo by R.H. McKay; see also 76.0277
|
January 1, 1942 |
76-0481 | Firemen fighting New Year’s Day fire of 1942 Burned the building above Yandt's Menswear Store on the corner of Pine Street and Higgins Avenue in Missoula, Montana; photo by R.H. McKay; see also 76-0277
|
1942 |
76-0489 | Missoula firemen fighting the J.C. Penney Fire |
November 1950 |
76-0490 | Missoula Firemen fighting a blaze on Higgins Avenue West side of Higgins Avenue between Main Street and Broadway. A crowd of spectators looks on. Inscription across the bottom of the photo reads: "Safety First - Insure with Newlon and Gage." Photo by R.H. McKay
|
circa 1920 |
76-0491 | Missoula firemen fighting fire on Hammond block The blaze destroyed the Hammond Block at the corner of Front Street and Higgins Avenue
|
September 10, 1932 |
Series II: Scrapbooks, 1896-1962Return to Top
Container(s) | Description | Dates |
---|---|---|
Reel | ||
1 | Scrapbook |
1896-September 1952 |
1 | Scrapbook |
1955-1962 |
1 | Scrapbook |
October 1952-1954 |
Names and SubjectsReturn to Top
Subject Terms
- Fire departments--Montana--Missoula
Corporate Names
- Missoula Fire Dept.--Archives
Form or Genre Terms
- Scrapbooks