1911 RPPC Postcard Main Street Hartford Wisconsin Firemen Fire Department WI For Sale

This unusual postcard from Hartford, Wisconsin shows the Hartford fire department as it sets their fire hose loose on a building on Main Street.

Approximate size: 5.4 inches x 3.4 inches

This postcard offers an uncommon view of fighting a fire in Hartford, Wisconsin.

There are some interesting signs in the background of the waterhosing of the building, such as "Dr. J.G. Probst Dentist," "Ice Cream Parlor," "Mirth & Music Theatorium," "Keene" (likely Tom Keene Cigar Company), "Snow Boy," "Furniture," "Perfume," "City Hall '92," and a "Lambert" car. The last word was hard to make out. It could also be "Abert" or "Labert."

The Hartford Fire Department was organized on January 18, 1863, in the blacksmith shop of Chris Coerper, located on the corner of North Main and State streets. It was known as the Hartford Hook and Ladder Number 1. Later, on October 18, 1878, S.M. Seeley, Foreman, organized the Washington Fire Engine Company to obtain a 4-Wheel pumper. On February 1, 1932, the Hartford Hook and Ladder Company and the Washington Engine Company consolidated to form one unit known as the Hartford Fire Department.

The Hartford Emergency Squad was started as a bicentennial project and had its first call on January 10, 1976. In its first year in service, the squad responded to 202 calls. The City now operates three ambulances and responds to over 1800 EMS calls annually.

The Hartford Fire and Rescue Department merged on January 1, 2000. They continue a long-standing commitment to serving the communities of the City of Hartford and the Townships of Hartford, Erin, and Rubicon. The department employs seven full-time members and 56 paid-on-call members that respond to over 2300 calls for service per year.

Around that time, there was a cigar company associated with the name “Keene”. It was known as the Tom Keene Cigar Company. There are antique advertisements and cigar boxes from the early 1900s that feature Tom Keene cigars. The advertisements often depicted a well-dressed man lighting his cigar, and the product was featured prominently. It’s worth noting that the name “Tom Keene” was also used by a film actor, and it’s possible that the cigar company may have influenced this name choice.

The Lambert Car Company was founded by John William Lambert, an automotive pioneer, and was based in Anderson, Indiana. The Lambert Automobile Company produced the Lambert automobile from 1905 to 1916. In 1911, motor cars were still quite a novelty, and there were dozens of companies producing cars that ran on both gas and electricity. The Lambert Automobile Company was one of the more successful automobile manufacturers of the era.

Please inspect the pictures, as they give the best representation of condition. May have discoloring, edge or corner wear, marks, creases, fading, smudges, corner or edge bends, tears, or corners missing. 

(C12 inventory number)