Fire Museum of Maryland
The Fire Museum of Maryland is one of the largest fire museums in America. Located in Lutherville, just north of Baltimore City, the Museum is a leading institution in preserving, restoring, and interpreting the history of the urban fire service in the United States.
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The Fire Museum of Maryland is one of the largest fire museums in America. Located in Lutherville, just north of Baltimore City, the Museum is a leading institution in preserving, restoring, and interpreting the history of the urban fire service in the United States.
The Fire Museum of Maryland grew from a private collection of fire engines, apparatus and fire related materials that had been amassed over more than forty years by the Stephen G. Heaver family.
Founded in 1971, the museum houses a world-class collection with more than forty pieces of fire fighting apparatus dating from 1806 to 1957. The collection also includes over 1,700 smaller artifacts, an extensive working telegraph system, and a large archive and library with over 13,000 documents, catalogues, photographs, negatives and books.
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Steamer in operation outside the Fire Museum
The Fire Museum's 1898 American steam fire engine, shown here pumping at the 37th annual Steam Day. The Museum regularly operates much of its collection in order to show visitors how many of its unique objects function. | Source: Fire Museum of Maryland
Interior view of the Fire Museum of Maryland
An overhead shot showing one corner of the Museum, including early-20th century horse-drawn apparatus as well as an early gasoline-engined steam pumping engine. | Source: Fire Museum of Maryland