The location of the originals is unknown
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.
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 collection is arranged in two series.
Series I: Photographs, 1887-1956, 55 images
Series II: Scrapbooks, 1896-1962, 1 roll of microfilm
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.
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
Missoula Fire Department Photographs and Scrapbooks, Archives and Special Collections, Maureen and Mike Mansfield Library, The University of Montana-Missoula.
The Missoula Fire Department held the items in this collection.
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.
This collection is indexed under the following headings in the online catalog. Researchers desiring materials about related topics, persons, or places should search the catalog using these headings.
Items within this series are organized by photo number.
Rows of police officers march down a street in Butte. The officers in the front rows hold rifles.
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.
Hook and ladder wagon of the Butte Fire Department parked in front of the Queen City Saloon and Hollands Restaurant
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.
Two firemen sit on the wagon, and two more firemen stand beside.
Firemen with equipment dressed out for a parade; flags fly above and a bell tower is at the top of the building
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
Ex-chief P.F. Loffnes at the wheel; Peter Loffnes was fire chief from 1912-1919.
Kern, Nielson, Kelly, Sam Brechbill, Burk, Walter Brechbill, A. Quinn, Claude Rooney, and Chief Cranney
Oblique-angle view of Butte
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.
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.
Men stand in the street in a line in front of vehicles. Storefronts are visible behind them; photo by R.H. McKay
Posed in overcoats and helmets on street in front of fire 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.
Men on ropes climbing outside building window. Net on ground below them
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.
Four men and three dogs in doorway of a brick building. The men stand while the dogs sit on chairs.
Horse-drawn fire engines on the street in downtown Missoula; photo by R.H. McKay
Three men inspecting a horse-drawn steam-powered fire pump on West Front Street in Missoula, Montana; photo by R.H. McKay
Firemen posed with horse-drawn fire wagons parked in front of the old City Hall at the Missoula Fire Department building
Horse-drawn fire wagon sits parked in front of Boyd Brothers Livery Stable in Missoula, Montana
Firemen posed on a horse-drawn fire wagon in Great Falls, Montana
Steam-powered fire engine and firemen
Firemen participating in a parade as it passes the corner of Broadway and Higgins Avenues
W.M. Brandstone (standing next to horse-drawn rig), dog, and Dan
Missoula Fire Department personnel
Left to right: Claude Luke, Chief Eat 'em Saw Log, John Shelly, Roscoe Small; horses: Jack and Frank
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
Car and horse team
Taken at the corner of Stephens Avenue and Main Street
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
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
"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.)
Fifteen below zero; photo by R.H. McKay; see also 76.0277
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
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
The blaze destroyed the Hammond Block at the corner of Front Street and Higgins Avenue
There are three scrapbooks on one roll of microfilm. The scrapbooks were not microfilmed in chronological order. The dates of the scrapbooks in the order in which they appear on the microfilm are 1896-September 1952, 1955-1962, and October 1952-1954.