Aitkin Volunteer Fire Department (circa 1920)
Scroll down to read about this photo.
The Aitkin Volunteer Fire Department was organized in 1883 by a group of local interested citizens and was housed in a shed on Minnesota Ave. North and 1st St. NE. The department was a "bucket brigade" made of whoever showed up at the fire.
In 1910, the first commercially horse-drawn fire wagon was purchased for $460. The horses were trained to back up under the harness which dropped down on them. When the horses were not going to fires, they were used for street work.
The above photo shows the first fire horses, who were purchased from the St Cloud Fire Department when that department decided to use motorized vehicles. You can see the rig is on runners for winter use. The white horse's name was Charley, and the black horse was Dan. Charley Glad is at the reins. Frank Erickson, fire chief, is in the white coat on the left. Others in this photo were not identified, but research lists these members at that time: George Falconer, Howard Cluff, A. H. Comstock, A. J. Elmquist, Carl Anderson, Percy McGown, Vic Erickson, A. C. Klee, and R. Edquist.