Thomas Shaw of the Alert Hose Company, Big Rapids, Michigan, 1877
THF212066 / Thomas Shaw of the Alert Hose Company, Big Rapids, Michigan, 1877
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Artifact Overview
This man, identified as Thomas Shaw, was a fireman with the Alert Hose Company of Big Rapids, Michigan. To 21st-century eyes his uniform may appear odd, but it was worn during firemen's tournaments and not for fighting fires. These competitions pitted rival firefighting companies against each other in engine and hose races and other tests of firefighting skills needed during fire emergencies.
Artifact Details
Artifact
Carte-de-visite (Card photograph)
Date Made
1877
Subject Date
1877
Creators
Collection Title
Location
By Request in the Benson Ford Research Center
Object ID
36.493.10
Credit
From the Collections of The Henry Ford.
Material
Cardboard
Paper (Fiber product)
Technique
Albumen process
Mounting
Color
Black-and-white (Colors)
Dimensions
Height: 4.125 in
Width: 2.438 in
Inscriptions
Handwritten in pencil on back of image:
Thomas Shaw 1877 / Bro Ann Howard Shaw / Alert Fire Co / Big Rapids / W.E. Drew / brothers
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Related Content
SetEarly Firefighting
- 32 Artifacts
Fire was a constant menace to American cities well into the 20th century, when most buildings were made of wood and firefighting equipment was underpowered and overmatched. Firefighters risked their own lives to save those of others, to protect property, and to constrain and contain blazes before they grew into uncontrollable conflagrations. Early firefighting relied on mettle, muscle, and machinery that improved slowly but steadily over time.
articleAlert Hose Company of Big Rapids, Michigan
Sometime during the late 1870s, members of the Alert Hose Company in Big Rapids, Michigan, posed for the local photographer. Find out more about the company and the men involved.