Montana State University Library, Archives and Special Collections, Manuscript Collections
Bozeman Fire Department Records
Bozeman Fire Dept. (Bozeman, Mont.)
2151
Collection 2151
7.4 linear feet
1 web archive
1880-2024
The Bozeman Fire Department Records consist of department records, relief association materials, and union papers. These records include legal and organizational papers; minutes of the department meetings; records of membership, roll calls, dues, reports to the city, records of fires for most years from 1880 to 1961, fire prevention and fire training information, Fire School papers, copies of speeches, business and professional correspondence, materials on special equipment and issues, financial records, newspaper clippings, cards, brochures, invitations, programs and memorabilia of social events, membership records, reports, investment materials, constitution, and assorted International Association of Firefighters papers and communications.
Collection materials are in English
This collection is open for research.
The Bozeman Montana Fire Department Records were donated by the Museum of the Rockies August 13, 2001. The records had been donated to the museum by former Fire Chiefs Herbert Hoey (1973) and Billy Alexander (1982). One folder of items from 1884-1888 had been donated in 1985 and was integrated into the collection.
Series 1: Departmental papers of the Bozeman Fire Department, 1880-1962
Sub-series 1: Operational reports and documents, 1880-1962
Sub-series 2: Correspondence, 1884-1950
Sub-series 3: Financial records, 1880-1962
Sub-series 4: Scrapbook, news clippings and other memorabilia, 1887-1947
Series 2: Bozeman Fire Department Relief Association papers, 1911-1959
Series 3: Bozeman Fire Department Union papers, 1939-1957
Series 4: Web Archive
The Bozeman Fire Company was established in 1880, and four years later the Bozeman Fire Department was organized as a volunteer group with only 2 paid members. Men requesting membership in the department were voted on by a committee. After five years, an active member could become exempt from call and dues yet still participate in social events and discussion at meetings without voting privileges. For many years a social membership in the department existed, its members also voted on by committee. To raise funds for the department the first Fireman's Ball was held in 1884 and thereafter every year around Thanksgiving. The department had an annual stag banquet each January to review the year's events. The banquet was a significant social event for the men of Bozeman for many years. In 1911, the Montana State Legislature passed legislation to finance fire relief associations with allocated taxes. In response, the Bozeman Fire Department Relief Association was incorporated in 1912, replacing the department's relief committee. In 1939, after legislation on pensions and wages in the late 1930s was unsatisfactory, the Bozeman, Montana firemen joined the International Association of Firefighters Union as Local # 613. The first Fire Marshall (Chief) was A. P. Clark. W. G. Alexander succeeded him in 1889 and served until his retirement in 1925 after 41 years service in the department. Chief Alexander was instrumental in many of the advances in the department including a state-of-the-art centralized fire alarm system in 1910 and total motorization of the equipment by 1914. In 1890, the Fire Department moved into the new City Hall (Opera House) and remained until 1962. There were significant fires in Bozeman in Dec 1887, Dec 1922, 1936 (Nash-Finch building) and October 1961, all of which are documented in these records.
This collection was processed 2009 April 3
The records include legal and organizational papers; minutes of the department meetings; records of membership, roll calls, dues; reports to the city, the state and the membership; records of fires for most years from 1880 to 1961; fire prevention and fire training information; Fire School papers; copies of speeches; business and professional correspondence; materials on special equipment and issues (1910 fire alarm system, 1922 fire report, resuscitator case histories, W. G. Alexander's retirement, John McCrosson's delayed certificate of birth papers, and Ernest H. Schumacher's life insurance policy); financial records including secretary's and treasurer's cash ledgers, check registers, savings books, cancelled checks, special expenses, plus bills and receipts; scrapbook materials include: newspaper clippings, cards, brochures, invitations, programs and memorabilia of social events. The Relief Association materials include legal and organizational papers, minutes, membership records, reports, correspondence, financial records, and investment materials. The Union Local #613 materials include a copy of the constitution, minutes, membership, correspondence, financial records, and assorted International Association of Firefighters papers and communications. A web archive begins in 2020.
A newspaper clipping scrapbook in series 1, subseries 4, is restricted due to fragility. An inventory of the newspaper clippings is provided.
[Creator Name], [Date of Creation], [Brief Description of Object], Folder [#], Box [#], [Collection Name], [Collection #], Montana State University (MSU) Library, Bozeman, MT
Bozeman Fire Dept. (Bozeman, Mont.). Relief Association
International Association of Fire Fighters
International Association of Fire Fighters. Local 613 (Bozeman, Mont.)
Bozeman (Mont.)--Social life and customs
Montana
Bozeman (Mont.)
Fire departments--Montana--Bozeman (Mont.)
Fire extinction--Montana--Bozeman (Mont.)
Fire fighters--Labor Unions--Montana--Bozeman (Mont.)
Fires--Montana--Bozeman (Mont.)
Labor unions-Montana-Bozeman
Social life and customs
Fire departments
City and Town Life
Montana
Bozeman
Departmental papers of the Bozeman Fire Department
1
1880 - 1962
The departmental papers have been divided into 4 sub-series: sub-series 1 contains the operational reports, documents, and literary papers related to the subjects of membership, fire prevention and protection, apparatus, histories, reports of fires, and topics of special interest. Sub-series 2 includes the business and departmental correspondence related to operations, individual issues, and appreciation. Sub-series 3 are the financial records of the department including ledgers, bank books, checks, registers, bills, receipts and related materials. Sub-series 4 holds scrapbook material and memorabilia of the department including a scrapbook, newspaper clippings, invitations, dance cards, tickets, brochures, and assorted ephemera.
Operational reports and documents
1
1880 - 1962
The constitutions, bylaws, and amendments begin this series. Following are the department record books which in the early years included most pertinent daily records. Later these records split into several categories including: memberships, roll calls, secretary's minutes, treasurer's records, fire reports, and dues records. In 1918, the secretary and treasurer positions were combined. Also present are annual and monthly reports of the Fire Chief to the city and the members; reports of the secretaries, treasurers, and assorted committees; reports to the State Auditor and State Fire Marshall; roll call records; general papers and special topics. Topics featured are Red Cross, Civil Defense, specialized equipment, fire training and prevention, city ordinances and state laws, and maintenance records. Beginning records are arranged chronologically followed by special topics in alphabetical order.
Constitution and by-laws (Bozeman Fire Company)
1880
1
1
Constitution, bylaws and amendments, (ledger includes member lists)
1884, 1907
1
2
Constitution and instruction for members booklets
1884, 1903, 1906
1
3
Histories of Bozeman Fire Department
1
4
Fire Department records book
1884-1886
1
5
Fire Department records book
1887-1891
1
6
Fire Department records book
1891-1893
1
7
Fire Department records book
1894-1895
2
1
Fire Department records book
1900-1907
2
2
Fire Department records book
1907-1914
2
3
Fire Department minutes
1914-1944
2
4
Fire Chief's Book - includes fire records and inventories
1902-1912
2
5
Chief's annual report to the city
1884-1923
3
1
Chief's annual report to the city
1924-1938
3
2
Chief's annual report to the city
1941-1956
3
3
Chief's monthly report to the city
1942-1951
3
4
Annual reports to the members
1884-1922
3
5
Secretary's and Treasurer's reports
1885-1949
3
6
Trustees and Finance committee reports
1916-1923
3
7
Annual building inspection reports
1911-1924
3
8
City Clerk's report to the State Auditor
1911-1949
3
9
Reports on fires to the State Fire Marshall
1926-1936
3
10
Banquet Committee reports
1884-1949
3
11
Reports of fires (loose), see also Fire Department records book
1882-1885, 1884-1886, 1887-1891
4
1
Reports of fires book
1889 May 24 - 1910 September 17
4
2
Reports of fires book
1910 May 1 - 1912 December 31
4
3
Reports of fires book
1913 January 3 - 1915 April 24
4
4
Reports of fires book
1915 May 2 - 1917 March 31
4
5
Reports of fires book
1919 August 19 - 1922 April 28
4
6
Reports of fires book
1927 January 19 - 1928 November 1
4
7
Reports of fires book
1928 November 6 - 1930 May 23
4
8
Reports of fires book
1930 June 1 - 1932 December 9
5
1
Reports of fires book
1932 December 15 - 1934 December 24
5
2
Reports of fires book
1938 July 20 - 1939 December 27
5
3
Reports of fires book
1940 January 3 - 1941 August 8
5
4
Reports of fires book
1941 August 14 - 1943 February 28
5
5
Reports of fires book
1944 July 6 - 1945 September 26
5
6
Reports of fires book
1945 September 26 - 1946 August 22
5
7
Reports of fires book
1946 August 22 - 1947 October 13
5
8
Reports of fires book
1947 October 14 - 1948 September 24
6
1
Reports of fires book
1948 September 25 - 1949 July 31
6
2
Reports of fires book
1949 August 2 - 1950 June 29
6
3
Reports of fires book
1959 January 2 - 1959 December 26
6
4
Reports of fires book
1960 January 3 - 1960 December 29
6
5
Reports of fires book
1961 January 5 - 1961 October 31
6
6
Reports of fires book
1961 November 4 - 1961 December 30
6
7
Report of fires notepads
1943 March - 1948 June
6
8
Report of fires notepads
1955 January - 1956 June
6
9
Report of fire (single sheet) (fatality; John Robinson)
1922 December 15
6
10
Master Fire Record Book (oversized)
1943 July 1 - 1961 October 16
1
Membership lists - includes active exempt social and deceased
1889-1935
7
1
Proposals for membership
1882-1889
7
2
Applications for membership
1913-1949
7
3
Applications for social membership
1915-1920
7
4
Resignations from department
1884-1889
7
5
Roll call book
1900-1906
7
6
Roll call ledger - includes active exempt and social lists; financial records
1907-1913
7
7
Roll call ledger - includes active exempt and social lists
1913-1951
7
8
Bozeman business and residential addresses, maps of fire districts
7
9
Bozeman City ordinances
1902-1935
7
10
Civil Defense
1940-1942
7
11
Equipment inventories; first aid cabinet
1885-1917, 1937
8
1
Fire Alarm system (1910) with list of apparatus and cost
8
2
Fire Prevention
1928-1941
8
3
Fire prevention talks presented by Fire Chief
1911
8
4
Fire School
1930
8
5
Fire School
1931
8
6
Fire School
1932
8
7
Fire School
1933
8
8
Fire School
1934
8
9
Fire School materials
circa 1930-1934
8
10
Fire School materials
circa 1938-1939
8
11
Fire service training manual, chapter 1
8
12
Fire service training manual, chapter 2
8
13
Fire service training manual, chapter 3
8
14
Fire service training manual, chapter 4
8
15
Fire service training manual, chapter 5
8
16
Fire service training manual, chapter 6
8
17
Fire service Basic unit training course
1950
8
18
General papers
1884-1949
9
1
Red Cross
circa 1940s
9
2
Resuscitator case histories and endorsements
1940s
9
3
State Firemen's Tournament
1891
9
4
State Legislative Bills
1935-1941
9
5
Vehicle maintenance record book
1927-1962
9
6
Correspondence
2
Subseries 2
1884-1950
Business correspondence; general correspondence including thank you cards; Building Inspector notifications with attachments; letters and telegrams about legislation, wages and pensions; files related to individual personnel; and communications with fire associations are present.
Building Inspector (Fire Chief) notifications with some legal attachments
1921-1948
10
1
Business Correspondence
1884-1888
10
2
Business Correspondence
1924-1947
10
3
General Correspondence
1885-1949
10
4
General correspondence (thank you cards)
undated
10
5
Legislation, letters and telegrams
1935-1941
10
6
Montana State Firemen's Association
1922-1949
10
7
Pacific Coast Assn of Fire Chiefs; International Assn of Fire Chiefs
1927-1950
10
8
Pensions and retirement
1920s-1949
10
9
Personnel: W. G. Alexander, retirement - correspondence and personal history
1925
10
10
Personnel: John McCrosson, delayed certificate of birth papers
1942-1946
10
11
Personnel: Ernest H. Schumacher, life insurance policy
1893-1934
10
12
Wage increase petitions
1905-1943
10
13
Financial records
3
Subseries 3
1880-1962
Sub-series 3 begins with bonding papers. Treasurer's and Secretary's cash ledgers and account summaries follow. Certificate books for membership dues were used to issue a certificate of membership each time dues were paid at 50 per quarter. Savings books, check registers, cancelled checks, bills and receipts for both department and social events are present as well as assorted association dues receipts, expense records and tax exempt information.
Surety bond papers
1887
1903
1944
11
1
Treasurer's cash ledger - general and relief funds
1887-1892
11
2
Treasurer's cash ledger - general, social funds
1900-1905
11
3
Secretary's cash ledger
1900-1907
11
4
Secretary's cash ledger - general, relief and social funds
1908-1918
11
5
Treasurer's cash ledger, summaries
1896-1918
11
6
Secretary-Treasurer's account ledger
1918-1956
11
7
Trustees cash ledger
1892-1910
12
1
(1925 expenses for BFD inserted)
Expense ledger - includes salaries, supplies and equipment
1925-1945
12
2
Savings books
1887-1888
1918-1927
1926-1936
12
3
Check registers
1887-1931
12
4
Check registers
1936-1948
12
5
Cancelled checks
1920-1931
12
6
Cancelled checks
1941-1954
12
7
Bank statements, deposit slips, check stubs
1958-1962
12
8
Bills and receipts
1880-1885
13
1
Bills and receipts
1888-1905
13
2
Bills and receipts
1923-1935
13
3
Bills and receipts
1936-1950
13
4
Banquets and Balls - bills and receipts
1884-1888
13
5
Banquets and Balls - bills and receipts
1931-1949
13
6
Tax exemption papers for non-profit fund raisers
1922-1942
13
7
Certificates granted ledger
1896-1900
13
8
Certificate book with stubs
1911-1913
13
9
Certificate book with stubs
1921-1946
13
10
Certificate book with stubs
1939-1950
13
11
Certificate book for social membership, empty
13
12
Fire extinguisher expense record
1951-1952
13
13
Receipts: dues; Pacific Fire Chiefs Assn, National Fire Protection Assn
13
14
Certificate register of dues paid, members (oversize)
1896-1915
2
Scrapbook, news clippings and other memorabilia
4
Subseries 4
1887-1947
A scrapbook from the W.G. Alexander years; miscellaneous newspaper clippings; Fireman's Ball tickets and dance cards; Stag Banquet invitations, replies, programs, and invitation lists; assorted brochures and certificates comprise sub-series 4.
Fireman's Ball: tickets and dance cards
1892-1947
14
1
Annual Stag Banquets- invitation lists, invitations and replies
14
2
Programs: Annual Stag Banquet
1909-1918 scattered
14
3
Programs: Annual Stag Banquet
1920-1937, scattered
14
4
Assorted brochures
circa 1930s-1940s
14
5-6
Certificates for active membership, exempt status and social membership
circa 1910
14
7
Newspaper clippings
1887-1944
15
1
Inventory of articles identified from scrapbook: Bozeman, state, and national sources
15
2
Scrapbook of newspaper clippings
1908-1931
15
3
Miscellaneous ephemera
15
4
Bozeman Fire Department Relief Association papers
2
Series 2
1911-1959
The Relief Association papers include: incorporation, by-laws and amendments; minutes; membership applications; annual reports; correspondence; financial records including savings books, investments, bills and receipts, and cancelled checks. Check registers of pensions paid, group insurance proposals and legislative concerns are also present.
Relief Association Records Book - Incorporation, minutes, Chief's retirement and pension
1912-1949
16
1
Relief Association By-Laws and amendments
1913
1928
16
2
City Council Resolution; minutes of first member meeting and first trustee meeting
1911 October-1913
16
3
Applications for membership
1914-1943
16
4
Annual report: To State Examiner, audits of Relief Fund
1922-1949
16
5
Annual report: To State Auditor, financial report of Relief Fund
1929-1948
16
6
Annual report to members
1915-1940
16
7
Group insurance proposal
circa 1940s
16
8
Correspondence with State Auditor
1911-1949
17
1
Legislative papers with correspondence
1918-1950
17
2
Correspondence and billings, Justin Smith (association lawyer)
1912-1933
17
3
Miscellaneous correspondence
1913-1948
17
4
Certificate book with stubs
1913-1954
17
5
Duplicating receipt book
1935-1959
17
6
Relief Association cash ledger-warrants, disbursements, investments (includes member list and roll call)
1913-1946
17
7
Check registries
1913-1937
17
8
Check registries
1937-1949
17
9
Vouchers
1913-1915
17
10
Deposit slips
1917-1950
17
11
Dues stubs; Bank books; Savings books
1913-1928
1932-1939
17
12
Cancelled checks
1913-1935
18
1
Cancelled checks
1936-1943
18
2
Cancelled checks
1944-1950
18
3
Bills and receipts
1913-1947
18
4
Investments
1913-1950
18
5
Bozeman Fire Department Union papers
3
Series 3
1939-1957
Union Local # 613 papers include the constitution, minutes, roll call records, correspondence, and financial records of the union. Also present are papers, reports, receipts, and assorted papers of the International Association of Firefighters.
Constitution
1939
18
6
Secretary's minutes
1939-1957
18
7
Roll call book
1939-1952
18
8
International Association of Firefighters: constitution and assorted papers
18
9
International Association of Firefighters: reports, receipts, cancelled checks
1939-1950
18
10
Correspondence
1938-1955
18
11
Treasurer's cash book
1939-1957
18
12
Dues book
1939-1951
18
13
Web Archive
4
2020-2024
Bozeman Fire Department Web Archive 1
2020-2022
Bozeman Fire Department Web Archive 2
2020-2024