Memorials to Firefighters and to Mack the Fire Horse
In 1900, the Rescue Fire Company constructed this Firemen’s Monument on Penn Commons. The park was practically in the back yard of the Rescue Fire Station’s location at 344 South George Street in York, PA. A granite pedestal was topped off with a life-size figure of a Rescue fireman, in uniform of that era, carrying a child and a lantern. After Rescue firefighter William E. Bush lost his life on June 9, 1915, his name was added to the monument.
The various other fire companies and fireproofing contractors in the City of York considered monuments to their respective firefighters killed in the line of duty. In a June 1928 meeting, the Rescue membership agreed to remove its name from their monument on Penn Commons and share it with the other city fire companies.
A bronze plaque was affixed to the granite pedestal with the name of the firefighters, with their respective fire company, who lost life while in active service. After the York Fire Museum was established at 757 West Market Street, the monument was moved from Penn Commons to the yard beside the museum. The following illustration superimposes a photo of the Rescue fireman topping the monument; next to a photo of the memorial honor roll containing the names of the 12 city firefighters killed in the line of duty. Click on this LINK for a Full View of the illustrations in this post; since the ydr.com site will occasionally cut off important details in the cropping of illustrations.
Following my post Exploits of Mack the Noble Fire Horse, I received numerous requests for a photo of the monument to Mack. The granite monument sits in the yard next to the York Fire Museum and faces West Market Street.
The York Fire Museum is part of the York County Heritage Trust; here is a link to their web site. The fire museum is closed for the winter, however the monuments can be viewed year-round.
Related fire station posts:
- Exploits of Mack the Noble Fire Horse
- Royal Firehouse and Meadowbrook Mansion share architects
- New Springettsbury Fire Station in the “Ghost Shadow” of the former Stony Brook Drive-In Theatre
- Springettsbury Fire Stations nearing completion; Then & Now
- What do Fire House, Woozy Moose and Casablanca have in Common?
