Fire Bucket, Used by Levi Huntington, circa 1795

01

Artifact Overview

Many home and business owners in colonial and early America kept leather fire buckets in case of emergency. When a fire broke out in the community, owners tossed their buckets into the street, where firefighters and local citizens used them to carry water to put out the fire. Buckets decorated with names, initials and numbers helped owners identify their buckets after the fire had been extinguished.

Artifact Details

Artifact

Fire bucket

Date Made

circa 1795

Location

Not on exhibit to the public.

Object ID

24.133.1

Credit

From the Collections of The Henry Ford. Gift of Howard Stanton.

Material

Leather
Metal
Paint (Coating)

Color

Green
Yellow (Color)
Black (Color)

Dimensions

Height: 12.25 in
Diameter: 8 in

Inscriptions

L. Huntington No.1
Fire Bucket, Used by Levi Huntington, circa 1795