How DID the world’s first fire alarm system work?
Dedicated to telling the storied history of one of the oldest firefighting organizations in the United States, the Boston Fire Museum, owned and operated by the Boston Sparks Association (a fire buff group), has occupied the old firehouse on Congress Street, just a few blocks from the Boston Children’s Museum, since 1983. The goals of the Boston Fire Museum are to preserve and display fire fighting memorabilia from the Boston area, educate the public on fire safety and maintain the historic building. The museum is composed of several exhibits, including antique fire gear; fire alarm displays and artifacts; photos; and firefighting equipment. Offices housing the Boston Sparks Association are on the second floor. Historic types of firefighting apparatus include: – a hand-drawn, hand-operated water pump designed by historic engine maker Ephraim Thayer. It includes the first engine he constructed; – a hand-drawn American LaFrance Ladder Truck, circa 1860; and – a front-wheel drive (formerl
