Description
c1880's Austin Fire Department Washington 1 Sterling Pin badge. Extremely rare<br>small pin badge from the last quarter of the 19th century to the very early 20th<br>century at the latest. As stated below the Washington 1 Station closed in 1916.<br>The Washington 1 was the first fire station in Austin as quoted below. This was<br>recovered by me in Austin in a bag including the letter I'm also including. I<br>purchased a large percentage of this estate from a family I know has been in the<br>same home since the 1920's. The Volunteer firefighter who wore this was a man<br>named John F Westlund (1858-1945) or there's a smaller chance it could have been<br>Lee Wesley Westlund (1891–1970) at a very young age. There's an Austin Fire<br>museum which I have not yet made it to that could likely confirm one of these.<br>Measures approx 1.25 x 5/8", marked sterling on reverse side. It has enamel<br>lettering with overall wear but is extremely rare and important.<br><br>The Central Station No. 1 wasn’t the first fire station in downtown Austin. In<br>1868 Washington Fire Company #1 was established on 6th Street. The first fire<br>engine, pulled by hand, was replaced by a steamer, which in turn was abandoned<br>when the water company changed to the Holly system in the early 1880s. The<br>engine company then was converted to a hose company.<br><br>Austin Fire Department: Volunteers to Professional Fire Fighters<br>Austin Fire Department began in the 1870´s with a very formal volunteer program.<br>The success of the volunteer organization actually delayed the need for a career<br>department until 1916. It was Austin’s businessmen and merchants who mainly<br>comprised the volunteer rosters. Many devoted their lives to the fire<br>department. In the spring of 1916, the citizens of Austin voted in support of<br>the creation of a paid, municipal fire department. Overnight, the department<br>went from more than 200 volunteers to 27 paid firefighters, working six 24 hour<br>shifts per week.<br><br>The first paid Fire Chief appointed by Austin city administrators was C.F.<br>Millett. Under Millett’s direction strict fire ordinances were passed and they<br>were effectively enforced by the dedicated volunteers. By 1874 the city council<br>establishing a fire department with a chief, assistant chief, recorder, fire<br>commissioners, and fire police. By 1880s Austin Fire Department included both<br>volunteer and paid firemen.<br><br>In June 1916, Clarence Woodward was appointed Fire Chief. The volunteer fire<br>companies disbanded and the fire department renumbered its fire stations and<br>renamed its apparatus which is still in effect today.<br><br>Washington #1 closed its station<br>Austin Hook and Ladder #1 became Truck Co. 1, Engine 1<br>Colorado #2 became Hose 1 at Central Fire Station 1<br>Protection #3 became Engine 2 at Station 2, and Truck 2 was created<br>East Austin #4 became Engine 5 at Station 5<br>South Austin #5 became Engine 6 at Station 6<br>North Austin #6 became Engine 3 at Station 3<br>West Austin #7 became Engine 4 at Station 4<br>Tenth Ward #8 became Engine 7 at Station 7<br>And Rescue #9 became Engine 8 at Station 8
