Fighting Fire: The Establishment of Boston's Modern Fire Department

The July 1837 "Ordinance for preventing and extinguishing Fires and establishing a Fire Department" marked the advent of Boston's modern fire department.

Shortly before the passing of reorganization ordinance,  Mayor Eliot responded to fire engineers' concerns about the coming changes in the fire department.

A. W. Brayley published these photographs of the city's Chief Fire Engineers in 1889. William Barnicoat, Chief Engineer in 1837, is pictured at the top right.

Before the reorganization of the Fire Department, the city's Water Commissioners wrote this letter to Chief Engineer William Barnicoat asking about the fire companies' water usage. 

On 16 August 1837, several fire companies met to offer their opinions on the new governing ordinance of the fire department.

These regulations governed fire companies' actions in case of fire outside the city and stipulated which engines could leave the city to fight fires.

The city received this anonymous threat of fire during 1837.

The Charitable Association of the Boston Fire Department was organized in 1828. They published this constitution two years prior to the reorganization of the Fire Department.

Bostonian Clinton Roosevelt invented a torpedo that could be used to destroy buildings and create fire breaks in case of large fires. He sent this letter to Mayor Eliot proposing that Boston Fire Department use his invention.

This 1837 letter from the Congress Street Engine Company describes the "mutilation" of their engine and their efforts to apprehend the individual responsible for the damage.

A list of Boston firefighters arranged by engine was compiled on 6 October 1837

The Chief Fire Engineer's office was located on the third floor of Boston's City Hall, pictured in this 1838 sketch. Before serving as City Hall, this building was the Massachusetts State House.