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On View at Friendship Firehouse Museum

Exhibits in the historic Friendship Firehouse tell the story of the Friendship Fire Company’s role in serving the Alexandria community.
Page updated on May 13, 2022 at 1:15 PM

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On View at Friendship Firehouse Museum

The Friendship, Sun, Relief, Hydraulion and other local volunteer fire companies served the community, and some of their stories and equipment are preserved today in the Friendship Firehouse Museum. The Engine Room houses fire-fighting equipment, while the Meeting Room displays ceremonial objects used by these community organizations.

Weathervane depicting a firefighter
The weathervane atop Friendship Firehouse

The Engine Room

The Engine Room on the first floor houses hand-drawn fire engines, leather water buckets, a locally-made hose reel, axes, sections of early rubber hose and other historic fire-fighting equipment. Exhibits explore the development of fire-fighting technology, and other fire companies that have served the citizens of Alexandria. 

Exhibits in the Engine Room, Friendship Firehoue.

Fire Fighting Equipment

Exhibit case at Friendship Firehouse with hatchet and fire buckets

 

Exhibit case at Friendship Firehouse with horn and hat

The Suction Engine

A highlight of the Friendship Firehouse collection is the suction engine, or suction pumper, built by John Rodgers of Baltimore and purchased by the Friendship Fire Company in 1851.

  • Read more about the suction engine.

Learn more about this piece of equipment from The Friendship Pumper by Kris Lloyd, Antiques in Alexandria 1999.

Friendship Firehouse's Rodgers Pumper

The Hose Carriage

Suction engines used hose to draw water from a water source such as wells or rivers. Only a few pieces of hose could be carried on a pumper itself, so carriages were made to carry extra hose. Friendship’s hose carriage was made locally in coachmaker, and Friendship member, Robert F. Prettyman’s shop on North Pitt Street. Its two large bells sounded the alarm as it was pulled along Alexandria’s streets. 

  • Read more about the Prettyman Hose Carriage.
Hose Reel Carriage in front of Friendship Firehouse Museum
The hose reel is returned to the Firehouse after conservation in 2022
Hose Reel prior to 2022 conservation
The hose reel prior to conservation

Hand-Cranked Fire Engine

This machine is an example of early 19th-century firefighting technology but did not fight fires in Alexandria. Its manufacture is attributed to John Cooper of Windsor, Vermont. He and his partners were in business from about 1825 through the mid-1830s. A bucket brigade would fill the engine’s tub with water and two firefighters, one cranking on each side, would operate the engine. 

Hand Cranked Fire Engine on display at Friendship Firehouse Museum

The Meeting Room

The second floor Meeting Room is furnished reminiscent of how it was during the late 19th century, the real heyday of Friendship as a community organization. A focal point is the original furniture used by members for their meetings. Various ceremonial objects are exhibited here such as parade uniforms, capes, banners and other regalia. Also, a bust of George Washington in the Meeting Room represents the Friendship Fire Company’s tradition of honoring the nation’s first president. 

Friendship Firehouse Meeting Room with Exhibits

 

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