FORT MADISON FIRE MUSEUM

A Look Back: The History of Fort Madison’s Fire Department

The first organized effort to protect Fort Madison from fire dates back to October 1841. At that time, the town's board of trustees passed an ordinance requiring all building owners within town limits to equip their structures with leather fire buckets. Each building needed at least one bucket if it had a stove or fireplace, with additional buckets required for buildings with multiple flues or fireplaces. These buckets had to be kept in an easily accessible location in case of fire. A fine of $1.00 per day was imposed on anyone who failed to comply by the November 1st deadline.

Records from 1841 to 1874 provide little insight into further fire protection efforts. However, in the spring of 1874, the city took a major step forward by purchasing a Silsby steam fire engine, two hose carts, and 1,500 feet of hose. A volunteer fire company was soon established to operate the new equipment. Initially, the apparatus was stored in a local livery stable until more permanent facilities could be arranged.

When Fort Madison was originally platted by the government, the lot at the northwest corner of Fourth and Market Streets had been set aside for a public market. A brick market house was built there and later repurposed for use by the newly formed "Gem City Fire Company." That historic building still serves as the City Hall of Fort Madison.

In the summer of 1874, three cisterns were constructed along Fourth Street—at the intersections of Pine, Vine, and Maple Streets—to provide a reliable water supply for firefighting. Two years later, in 1876, a hook and ladder truck was added to the department’s equipment.

The original Silsby engine, affectionately named "Gem City," was eventually rebuilt and continued to serve the department for many years. On October 25, 1913, a major modernization occurred with the introduction of a combined automobile chemical engine and hose cart. This new apparatus carried 200 feet of chemical hose and 1,200 feet of water hose, significantly improving the department’s firefighting capabilities.

By the early 20th century, Fort Madison’s fire protection system included a paid staff of six firefighters stationed at the central station, supported by six volunteer companies:

  • Phoenix No. 1 – 10 members

  • George B. Inman No. 2 – 10 members

  • Boss Hose Company No. 3 – 10 members

  • J. D. M. Hamilton No. 4 – 10 members

  • German-American No. 5 – 10 members

  • Fort Madison No. 6 – 20 members

Additionally, the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railroad maintained its own fire company to protect its shops and roundhouses located in the western part of the city.

Logo for Fort Madison Boss Hose Co. No. 3 featuring a vintage fire hose reel with axes, and a banner with the words "Courage," "Duty," and "Tradition."
Graphic design featuring a firefighter helmet with the number 4, crossed axes, ladder, and trumpet. Text reading 'Fort Madison J.D.M. Hamilton No. 4' with a ribbon at the bottom that says 'Courage Duty Tradition.'
Design featuring a golden eagle with outstretched wings, a firefighter's helmet, axe, and hydrant, with text reading 'Fort Madison German-American No. 5' and a banner with words 'Courage Duty Tradition'.
Graphic design featuring a drawing of a fort with a tower and gate, with text reading "Fort Madison" and "No. 6", along with a banner containing the words "Courage," "Duty," and "Tradition."
Illustration of a firefighter's helmet, axe, and ladder over flames with text: Fort Madison George B. Inman No. 2 Courage Duty Tradition.
A graphic design featuring a golden phoenix with outstretched wings holding a hammer, set against a red background. The text reads "Fort Madison," "Phoenix No. 1," and a banner with the words "Courage," "Duty," and "Tradition."
Exhibit display panel titled 'Exhibit Displays Silsby Fire Engine' with text describing the history of the fire engine in Fort Madison in 1874 and the Gem City Fire Company, and illustrating a brick wall pattern in the background.

Exhibit Displays: Take a closer look!

More about the Silsby Fire Pumper
A vintage fire engine with a large brass bell and red wheels on display inside a museum, with balloons and people in the background.
Information about historic fire grenades and a Pyrene fire extinguisher displayed on a historical exhibit board.
Vintage fire grenade with a red and white glass globe and an old-fashioned metal shur-stop trigger, labeled for extinguishing fires.
More about Fire Grenades

Videos

Black and white photograph of several men in uniform inside a building with a horse, some standing in front and others in the background. The men are wearing dark military-style coats, hats, and have serious expressions. The setting appears historic, with wooden fixtures and various objects on the walls.
A group of men in early 20th-century clothing gathered around an old-fashioned fire engine and a horse-drawn wagon on a dirt street, with trees and houses in the background.
Black and white photo of a vintage fire truck with firefighters standing and sitting on it in front of a garage. The scene appears historical, likely from the early 20th century.
Black and white photo of a horse-drawn fire truck with three men on top, in front of residential houses.

Historical Pictures

The 1873 Silsby Fire Pumper in the 1950 Tri-State Rodeo parade. Passengers and team owner unidentified.

Group of men in 19th-century attire standing around a steam-powered fire engine drawn by horses, outdoors with trees and houses in the background.

1906 Rolla Hook and Ladder Company No 1 with the 1873 Silsby steam pumper fire engine.

Black and white photo of an early 20th-century fire station with a vintage fire truck parked outside. The building has large windows and a sign that reads 'West End Engine House'.

West End Engine House, station #2, Fort Madison, IA. Circa 1918.

Historical black-and-white photo of a crowd gathered around a train with smoke billowing from its chimney.

Fort Madison's 1873 Silsby fire engine is fired up on the hillside in this photo.

Group of military personnel posing with a horse inside a building, possibly a train station or military facility, with posters and clocks on the wall.

The Fort Madison Central Fire Station in 1911 with Roby & Don pulling the 1873 Silsby Fire Engine.

A fire truck spraying water on a burning building with the sign 'JCPenney' in the background, during daytime.
Historical sepia photograph of a group of firefighters in vintage uniforms with the number 2 on their shirts, standing around a vintage fire engine with hoses spraying water, outdoors with trees and a wooden fence in the background.

Fort Madison Fire Dept. Hose Co. #2

A sepia-toned vintage photograph of a small white church with a tall steeple, a porch with arches supported by columns, and a car parked in front. There are trees around the church and two children standing near the entrance.
A large crowd of people, including many soldiers in uniform, gathered in front of a historic brick building with arched windows and decorative brickwork, during a parade or public event in the early 20th century.

Fort Madison Fire Department poses for a group portrait around 1900. Two law firms occupy the second floor of the bank building on left side of the photograph. More patrons can be seen in the bank lobby through the windows.