The following newspaper articles below detail the birth of Salida Hose Company No. 1:
Formation of the Salida Hose Company No. 1 – Mountain Mail dated January 15, 1881
Organization of a Fire Company – Mountain Mail dated October 29, 1881
First Meeting in the Hose House – Mountain Mail dated January 13, 1883
Last Night’s Fire – Mountain Mail dated January 20, 1883
Salida Hose Company No. 1’s List of Needs – Mountain Mail dated September 22, 1883
A Poetic Request – Salida Mail dated July 9, 1886
The remarkable document found below is the 1892 Subscription List which was dedicated to the reorganization of Salida’s Hose Company No. 1, which nearly disbanded in May of 1892. This list contains signatures of most of the notable townsfolk of Salida, including A.C. Hunt, William Harbottle, and Peter Mulvany and everyone who signed this list committed to paying a set amount to keep the fire department operational. This document is part of the Salida Fire Department’s collection.
1892 Salida Fire Department ledger
Meeting minutes from the Salida Fire Department dated 1892 to approximately 1907. Includes a list of fire calls made by the department with damage, fire type, and locations listed.
Salida Hose Company No. 1’s Hook and Ladder Truck. Salida Centennial Collection.
Salida Fire Department members out front at 124 E Street, their current home. Salida Centennial Collection.
Salida Fire Department members out for a parade in their Kissel Fire Truck. Bob Rush Collection.
This image (taken around 1910) of William Wickers shows his remodeled popcorn wagon that used to be Salida Fire Department’s Hook and Ladder Truck. Wickers used to farm in Chaffee County but later in life sold popcorn and ice cream on the corner of F and 1st from his food truck.
From the Bob Rush Collection.
Another image of Buttons and William and Mary Wickers with the wagon. They are pictured in front of 124 E with some fire department members.
From the Bob Rush Collection.
The Salida Fire Department in one of Salida’s many parades, ca. 1920s. From the Salida Museum Negatives Collection.
The Kissel engine overheating during a parade, ca. 1950s. From the Salida Museum Negatives Collection.
The Salida Fire Department at 124 E Street. Taken November 2001 by Roger Whitacre.
