Heart of Louisiana: David Crockett Fire House

GRETNA, LA (WVUE) – A South Louisiana fire department holds the distinction of being the oldest volunteer fire department in the country, and those volunteers in the city of Gretna still have their first steam-powered pumper.

It’s a modern fire department with a history that dates back more than 175 years.

“It actually started as a bucket brigade and uh, the company formed in 1841,” said B.J. Leblanc with the Gretna Historical Society.

Gretna’s David Crockett Volunteer Fire Department has been in continuous operation longer than any other fire department in America. The old fire house was built a couple of years before the Civil War, and they still have their original horse-drawn steam pumper purchased in 1876.

01. Louisiana State Fire Museum

The Louisiana State Fire Museum is home of the David Crockett Volunteer Fire Company No. 1, organized in 1841 and believed to be the oldest continuously operating volunteer fire company in the country. It is also the home of the Louisiana State Fireman Association that was organized in 1906. The museum is managed by Gretna Historical Society.

Built in 1859 as the Crockett Fire Hall, the red building is a Gretna landmark. The original station was built without nails, joined with wood plugs. The facade of the two story frame structure has an elliptical arch entrance flanked by doors. The upper story has a three part central arched window flanked by a pair of secondary arched windows. The facade is surmounted by a pediment with a high oculus window. The fire hall itself is surmounted by an open octagonal cupola with a bell cast roof.

The fire station was originally two blocks closer to the Mississippi River, but was moved to the present location when the levee was moved due to river erosion. The property was bought for $300 from Capt. Claudius Strehle who lived next door. The firehouse was even closer to the Kitty Strehle House than it is today. The building was jacked up and moved to the other side of the property line so that Capt. Strehle could open his window.

The fire company was founded in July 1841 when prominent citizens of Mechanickham gathered immediately following a fire to organize a group to fight future fires. On May 7, 1844, the group incorporated as the Gretna Fire Company, a bucket brigade. In 1874, the name was changed to the David Crockett Fire Company No. 1.

The David Crockett Fire Company has an impressive record of dedication in the history of fire fighting in the U.S. Records document that the members have met monthly for the last 180 years. Since 1841, the company’s operations were never interrupted by wars, epidemics or other disasters.

Centered in all its glory on the bottom story of the museum is the pride and joy of the fire company, the 1876 Gould Steam Fire Pumper, the first object that was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in the 1980s. Purchased for $3,500, it was one of only 73 steamers ever made and is the only one left in the U. S. It is light enough to be pulled by hand, but a frontal driver seat was installed and the engine was horse drawn. Pieces of fire equipment were named. This pumper carries the name of Iona Iver, the daughter of a charter member of the company who was born the day the steamer arrived.

The pumper is a fifth class, copper, brass and steel fire engine that remains remarkably intact in its original setting. The room has displays of memorabilia and firefighting equipment surrounding the room, like early uniforms, helmets and antique rescue apparatus, hook ladders for scaling multistory buildings and paging equipment to summon fireman.

The second floor of the station, once used for meetings and social events was renovated exactly as original with the balcony where the band played for dances held back in the day. The upstairs was rented for dances or receptions until the early 1960s. The upstairs of the firehouse also features fire related memorabilia including period fire insurance information, old fire plugs, doubloons and pictures of devastating fires in Gretna’s history.

Destinations
National Register of Historic Places

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