San Diego Firehouse Museum Photos

One of the the nice things about San Diego is making new discoveries, or remembering things you may have forgotten. This is the case with the San Diego Firehouse Museum. A few weeks ago, as Deinna and I were going downtown, we crossed Columbia Street and I saw the Museum. I realized that it's one of the places I had heard about but never visited. This past Friday Deinna was looking for a place to try out her new Nikon D90 camera. So, we packed the gear and were off. Our friends Gary and Julie's son, Greg, was on duty at the museum that day. Greg is volunteer Firefighter at Deerhorn Valley in Jamul.















Located at 1572 Columbia St. San Diego CA
Here is the map LINK.





















































































From models to the real thing below, the Firehouse has a wide collection of fire related items on display.














1903 American LaFrance "Metropolitan Steamer 1991" built for Milwaukee WI. Steam cylinders 9" stroke-9-3/4' bore. Pump Cylinders 9" stroke- 5-3/4" bore. Allegedly pump 1100 gpm. Weighed 8200 lbs., less fuel & water. It burned bituminus coal, or "Cannel Coal", and was drawn by 3 horses, accompanied by a hose/fuel wagon.














The fire box on the "Metropolitan Steamer 1991".













































The caption on this photo reads: "This Firehouse occupied the site since 1916. Girolomo Navarra, Jerome's grandfather, bought the building in 1921 which became the original location for Jerome's Furniture Warehouse. Girolomo's son Jim, Jerome's father, would arrive once a week to haul away the manure produced by the horses that pulled the fire engine.




















The fire pole for sliding down is located on the opposite wall, but after a quick trip down, you must climb back up.















Hand-drawn fire hose cart, circa 1852, used in the Thames Shipyard, New London, CT.
On loan from the Maritime Museum Association of San Diego, CA.



























The "Dispatchers Console".
Alarms were received from an Alarm Pull Box on the street. The Dispatcher took the information and relayed the Box number to the Fire Stations.



























The Harden 6 inch Grenade. Thrown to extinguish fire.
Here is a LINK for more information.







































Waiting for the next alarm.












































Located at the rear of the building is a 50 foot high drying tower, for drying the fire hose.















Captain Kevin McWalters takes this "Seagrave" out for exercise. It had received an oil change earlier in the week.

Greg Gorton watches as the truck departs.