On July 25th 1907 this steamer went into service protecting the City of Portland. It is called a Steamer for the simple fact that it runs on steam. Similar to a steam driven train from the early 1900's this apparatus has a boiler which produces steam to drive the water pump. The Steam was drawn by 2 to 3 horses, and actually used fire to fight fire. Someone was always having to stock the boiler with coal to keep the boiler producing steam to power the pump.
On September 4th 1935, the steamer was purchased from the City of Portland for $150. The Steamer was used mainly as a second out apparatus. The wooden wheels were removed and replaced with metal wheels and was now drawn by a truck instead of horses. The steamer stayed in service until the mid 40's when it was basically retired from service. In 1975, a group of firefighters started to restore the steamer for use in parades and various fire department functions. New wooden wheels were built, it was repainted and the striping was hand painted to match the original art work which covered the sides of the steamer.
In 2007, the wheel were rebuilt to withstand the weight of this steamer. The steamer after making the century mark is still fully operational and in years past has made the journey to the steam powered museum in Brooks.
If you would like to see a piece of firefighting history, swing by the fire station. It is on display in the show room which is visible from in front of the station. You can also stop in during normal business hours to see it up close.