| The Frederick County Fire & Rescue Museum will open for the 2026 museum season on Saturday April 11 at 12 noon. The museum will be open from 12 - 4 PM each Saturday and Sunday through the summer. The museum is closed during holiday weekends.
We are very appreciative the Gladhill family has allowed the display of the 1919 Ahrens-Fox originally purchased for the United Steam Fire Engine Co. No. 3 and was part of the “Buck” Gladhill collection. Other artifacts on display include display include the “Junior Defender” uniformed manikin and the historic original “tin type’ of an actual “Junior Defender. The “Junior Defenders” were a militia unit of the Junior Fire Co. No. 2 that was dispatched to Harper’s Ferry to help quell John Brown’s Raid. Information about three militia units, including the “Independent Rifles” and “United Guard” is on display in the museum.
Also, on display from the Junior Fire Co. No. 2 is the restored Silsby hand drawn hose reel believed to be the original hose reel for the Juniors 1876 Silsby steam pumper, the first steam pumper in Frederick. Early fire apparatus on displays include “Romeo” the beautiful 1893 Independent Hose Co. NO. 1 hose carriage, the circa 1848 hand pumper “Old Lady” used by both the United Fire Company and Libertytown, and the fully restored Badger chemical engine of the Jefferson Volunteer Fire Company. Another piece of motorized equipment displayed is Willy’s Jeep formerly owned by the Lewistown District Volunteer Fire Department.
This year, the museum will also be displaying the homemade hose cart of the Vigilant Hose Company. This unique piece of equipment was built in Emmitsburg and used as early fire protection prior to the organization of the Vigilant Hose Company. The cart carries a leather riveted hose, a very early means of firefighting. The museum also features a memorial display honoring all the fire and rescue personnel in Frederick County that have died in the line of duty with individual pictures and a brief description of each fallen hero.
The Frederick County Fire & Rescue Museum has free admission and staffed by local fire & rescue volunteers. The museum will open for the 2026 season at 12 noon on April 11, 2026 and will be open most weekends until the end of September open from 12-4 each Saturday and Sunday. For more information go to www.frederickmdfiremuseum.org . |
