East Texas Historical Fire Society

This pumper was the very first motorized fire apparatus owned by the City of Tyler, Texas. Actually, the City of Tyler purchased two apparatus in 1916. One was a pumper and the other was a chemical engine. The chemical engine was traded in for another pumper in 1923.

This truck was donated to the Caldwell Foundation when retired from service. In 1995, the East Texas Historical Fire Society negotiated with the Caldwell foundation and was able to obtain this vintage apparatus. Currently under restoration, this pumper will be the focus of the East Texas Fire Museum when it is opened.

This pumper was purchased by the City of Tyler, Texas in 1923 with the assistance of a trade-in. This truck was purchased from American LaFrance and was a floor demonstrator model in the Dallas, Texas sales office. When restoration is complete, this apparatus will once again set next to the 1916 American LaFrance pumper.

We have begun the restoration of this pumper. It has been totally disassembled, and many of the sub-assemblies have been stripped, primed, painted and stored, awaiting reassembly.

Current Parts Needed List:

1-40 gallon Champion Hammered end chemical tank

1-Set of leather pump seals for rotary gears

2-Rear brake drums with good condition chain sprockets

2-Rear wood spoke wheels

MORE TO BE LISTED LATER

This pumper was originally purchased by the City of Excelsior Springs, Missouri. This picture shows that the truck was restored before the ETHFS took posession. Unfortunately, the restoration was not to original specifications. The ETHFS has obtained the original builders photograph of this pumper. When delivered from the factory, it was painted white. White with much gold leaf and a murial painted on each side of the hood. Someday the ETHFS hopes to take this apparatus back to its original colors.

This pumper served Italy, Texas and is currently under restoration.

This pumper was the first pumper owned by the City of Henderson, Texas. Having been retored, this pumper runs like a top. You should hear it when it comes roaring down the street with the bell clanging, the hand-crank siren whailing, and the chains that deliver power to the rear wheels are whirring along.

This pumper served the City of Dallas, Texas. Having been purchased by one of the ETHFS members, it is currently under restoration.

This pumper was owned by the City of Tyler, Texas. The first apparatus in the ETHFS group, it is currently nearing completion of a total restoration. The three pictures above are different angles of our restoration. Only gold stripes and lettering remain to be completed. This pumper marks our first total restoration, but certainly not our last. In the near future, I will be posting a new page that is a pictorial history of the restoration of this apparatus as well as our next project. STAY TUNED!!!

This pumper was purchased by the City of Tyler, Texas during World War II. Being a wartime fire apparatus, authorization for its purchase had to be obtained from the war board. Permission was obtained and the truck was purchased. Being a wartime vehicle, there is no chrome on this apparatus. Chromium was a very precious metal during WWII and could not be spared for fire apparatus.

This pumper did service in the State of Kansas.

This pumper was owned by the City of Shreveport, Louisiana. It's sister truck is owned by a member of the Shreveport, Louisianna Box 4 Fire Buffs group.

This pumper was owned by the City of Tyler, Texas. It did service at several stations but ran as the pumper out of station 1 for many years.

This pumper served the City of Dallas, Texas.

Yes, this truck was also owned by the City of Tyler, Texas. This was the second motorized ladder truck in the Tyler Fire Department. The first ladder truck went to the scrap yard but had the interesting history of having been a hose wagon that in 1919 was modified to be a motorized ladder wagon using a World War I military surplus truck.

This pumper served the City of Tyler, Texas. It was located in Branson, Missouri just one week before its scheduled date of destruction to the wrecking yard. Purchased by one of the ETHFS members, it was trailered back to Tyler and is currently awaiting restoration.

This pumper served the City of Farmers Branch, Texas. A real work horse, this pumper makes all of our groups musters and is always capable of pulling that 'stuck' truck out of the mud.

This pumper served the City of Waxahatchie, Texas.

This pumper was one of three pumpers bought by the City of Tyler in 1964. This apparatus was donated to the Chapel Hill Volunteer Fire Department and then obtained by the East Texas Historical Fire Society.

This pumper was yet another of the three pumpers purchased by the City of Tyler, Texas in 1964. This pumper was donated by the City of Tyler to the East Texas Historical Fire Society.