FIREHOUSE LETTERING FACTS.

68jk09

68jk09

Joined
May 6, 2010
Messages
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The present lettering on the Qtrs of 229/146.... the lettering over the 229 side was made by a LT assigned there years ago using a "sand casting" method....the lettering over 146 contains old bronze letters obtained from the old Water Tower (WT*7 i believe ).....this is the only FDNY TL FH that has the words TOWER in their lettering..... www.flickr.com/photos/jag9889/34030342050
 
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The former Qtrs of 108 at 112 Seigel St bet Humboldt & Graham Aves had an ornate sign over the apparatus door....from a distance it looked like cast iron but was actually ornamental tin https://postimg.cc/34VY0cbn ...in Aug '71 when we moved to the new FH on Union Ave we were able to remove the sign intact & bring it to the new FH....a few years ago there was a TV show being filmed at the present Qtrs & the sign was in the background mounted on the apparatus floor wall....the sign is well over 120 yrs old...originally it was painted municipal green with white lettering & then years later it was repainted red with white lettering......216s old Qtrs was at 11 Scholes St off Union Ave their lettering over the door were made of Bronze https://postlmg.cc/CBZc5P8h ....after they moved to Union Ave also in AUG '71 a set of "216" was mounted on their Rig https://postlmg.cc/23TJ9zbs (i do not know what happened to the "ENGINE" letters & the other "216" ?
 
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In Aug '71 when we 108 moved to Union Ave the job had lettering over the doors already ....(facing the FH) BN*35 over the small left door then 216 over the left side of the double door & 108 over the right side of the double door....it was aluminum letters with red accent individually attached to the brick face of FH....after evaluating the position of the ENG vs the Truck 108 CPT J W decided that switching the E&T would make more sense as far as accessing equipment on the Truck for maintenance .....216 CPT J L went along with it so we switched....we got 2 pieces of old Ladder Pipe 3 1/2" hose trays from Tillers being sold off...we cut the front off & mounted the lettering & anchored them over the now correct E&T Door Sides....In current times it looks like the signs have been re done once again.


 
Here is a story from Chicago. In 1901 a new house was being built on the city's North side in the Avondale section. CFM Swenie approved this location and assigned #92 was the given company. However he took ill and was replaced by CFM Musham who was not aware of Swenie's plans. When Musham inspected the house and noticed 92 in stone and told the foreman that this was incorrect, it should be 91 instead. Foreman showed him the blueprints, 92 was carved in stone and he would not change or remove it. Musham reminded the foreman that he (Musham) organized companies and that this was going to be 91's house, no matter what it said in stone above the door. House was later closed in 1982 when new quarters were built.

 
Old Engine17/Ladder 18/Battalion 4 Broome St firehouse - Squad 5 operated from here 1966-1969 and then relocated to Engine 9's old quarters on E. Broadway:

   


In 1973, a new Pitt Street firehouse (combined FDNY/NYPD) was planned for Engine 17, Ladder 18, Squad 5 and Battalion 4 - Fort Pitt was originally lettered for Engine 18, Ladder 18, Squad 5 and Battalion 4:

   


Squad 5 instead moved to the Bronx and was later disbanded.  Lettering changed to E 17/L 18/Bn 4:

   


E 17 disbanded in 1991. Fort Pitt St  occupied by L 18 and Bn 4 1991-2001. Engine 15 moved to Pitt Street in 2001 with Ladder 18 and Battalion 4. 

   

   
 
The letters for the Brooklyn Tin House (E232-L176) were appropriated from the Old Unity Hospital on St.Johns Place. The only letter that had to be cut was the (E).
 
When i went to R*2 in 1977 they were on Carlton Ave off Myrtle Ave near the BKLYN Navy Yard.....they had been in that FH for many years .....( organized there in 1925 then moved to 365 Jay St in 1929...then back to 160 Carlton Ave in 1946 until 1985 ) but there were no markings on the front of the FH other than Bronze Engine 210 above the single apparatus door (Rigs were piggybacked)....after i was there awhile i decided to make some sort of sign ....soon after i spotted an old bldg slated for demo that had a common type sign with white metal letters screwed to pale green background.....we unscrewed the proper letters to spell RESCUE....once again a 3 1/2 " hose tray from a decomissioned Tiller provided the necessary back plate....we lag bolted it over the door (adding a decorative chain) & placed the RESCUE letters on it & painted large 2s on either side & resident artist FF Larry G. painted the Rescue patch on a stop sign cut to the shape of a Maltese Cross.....about a week later when i came to work FF Bob W. from 210 had added a 1 & a 0 to the squares below....(not the best thing but?) when we moved to Bergen St in 1985 we took the sign with us & afterwards when the job renovated 210s Qtrs they sand blasted the front of the FH returning it to the former look with only the Bronze ENGINE 210 remaining.....this is a shot from around 1982 ..... http://fdnyrant.proboards.com/attachment/download/44
 
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When R*2 moved in 1985 from 160 Carlton Ave to 1472 Bergen St bet Schenectady & Troy Aves we took the sign we had made & bolted it above the Apparatus door w/the decorative white chain ... www.google.com/search?q=PHOTOS+OF+BROOKLYN+FIREHOUSES&tbm=isch&source=iu&ictx=1&fir=ZS0aQxWDiDPj3M%253A%252CfvTlJi21drTB0M%252C_&vet=1&usg=AI4_-kTh0ubJQmFP1-ouNFoxWR5q7_Unuw&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwi3z_Co-r_hAhXmlOAKHfByDcoQ9QEwAHoECAkQBA#imgrc=VnDod8IxskDPdM:&vet=1 ... & resident artist FF Larry G. painted replicas of a Helmet insert to flank the sign...in later years the RESCUE sign has been repainted w/a blue background & white letters without the chains ... also a Tribute to FF Louis Valentino RIP was added to the door.... www.google.com/search?source=hp&ei=ueWqXP-0O9Gr5wLd6bSADg&q=1472+Bergen+St+Bklyn+ny&btnK=Google+Search&oq=1472+Bergen+St+Bklyn+ny&gs_l=psy-ab.3..0i22i30.1794.14809..18258...0.0..0.76.1443.23......0....1..gws-wiz.....0..0j0i131j38.Ta9HaGZI3ek
 
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www.brownstoner.com

Building of the Day: 1472 Bergen Street | Brownstoner

Address: 1472 Bergen Street, between Schenectady and Troy Avenues Name: FDNY Rescue 2, formerly Engine Company234, Formerly Fire Salvage 1 Neighborhood: Crown Heights North Year Built: Building on site since 1893, this one perhaps built in 1921. Architectural Style: Classic late 19th century...
www.brownstoner.com www.brownstoner.com
 
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When i was the CPT of ENG*275 in 1994 the original aluminum "ENGINE COMPANY 275" that was placed when the FH was built in 1960 (& 275 moved from the Big House on 162 St off Jamaica Ave housing 298..299..127..BN*50 & 275 https://postimg.cc/Lqrt7nv9 ) was still in place on a 10 ft brick wall that partially blocked the side alley....the wall did not completely cover the opening as the entrance door was on the side of the FH a few feet from the sidewalk....there was a chain link gate a little farther back that prevented anyone from walking farther down the side of the FH or into the backyard but the wall also prevented using the alley to park cars & the wall also made a convenient bathroom for passersby's & it was used often by them....i decided that if we tore down the wall it might prevent that use & also we could park cars in the alley .....we removed the lettering & it just so happened at the time there was street construction being done on nearby Supthin Blvd.....we took a Jug over there & an hour later a worker drove a front end loader & destroyed the wall....we got Sanitation to come by 2 days in a row & we got all the bricks taken away.....a Member of 275 Bob W, had an Overhead Door business & he had stored in his work yard several of the replaced chain operated roll down doors from the 1993 WTC Bombing.....one was the correct size to fit the front of the alley...he had his crew bring it over & install it .....BC Bill S. in BN*50 had a Brother who owned a metal shop on Merrick Blvd nearby....he made us an aluminum diamond plate backing for the FH lettering ....Paul T. RIP The Grand Pubah mounted the letters & the diamond plate over the apparatus door https://postimg.cc/t7BmgF05 ......it remained there until 1998 when LAD*133 was organized there & the Job put up uniform lettering for both Units.....also in preparation for 133's arrival the Job went around the FH redoing things like the kitchen , offices, etc , etc..... one of the things they also did was replace the alley rolldown with a brand new one... they just assumed it was built originally with the FH....the Crest www.flickr.com/photos/jag9889/3019389273/# on the front of the FH came from a Diner being demolished..... the removed wall was tied in on one side to a wall running down the alley ....when the loader knocked it down i saw that it was tied in using four bronze rods about an inch in diameter & about 8 inches long....these went to a scrap dealer nearby & the $ paid for the Jug we gave the worker & a few left over for some Pizza. The FH today www.google.com/maps/place/111-36+Merrick+Blvd,+Jamaica,+NY+11433/@40.6935887,-73.7808178,3a,75y,242.82h,90t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1stmEadp2eRgpxLz4LDADBPQ!2e0!7i16384!8i8192!4m5!3m4!1s0x89c26131ba613895:0xc83029f3d869034c!8m2!3d40.69345!4d-73.781083
 
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Thanks for another great post, this is one of my favorite threads going on right now. The history and stories are part of what makes the job so amazing.
 
Lebby said:
Thanks for another great post, this is one of my favorite threads going on right now. The history and stories are part of what makes the job so amazing.
Click to expand...

FULL agreement, and it's also what makes The Site so amazing.
 
Note the "3" under the word MACK on the side of the Rig....this was one of the original numbers from over the second bay of ENG*206 that was originally slated for LAD*133 when the old FH was built....
postimg.cc

Sq 3 â Postimages

postimg.cc postimg.cc
 
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Speaking of old Postcard Images there was a Great One of a Post Card of the Original Jamaica Big House on 162 St bet Jamaica & 89 Aves showing the triple bay FH with 299...298..275 ...127 & BN*50 ...it is on some sites ....maybe someone can re post it.
 
I asked this in another Section; but I'll try again -

Am I the only one who remembers the Ketchup Label logo on the Apparatus Floor
of the 5-7 Btn. ?
 
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