Chief McRae
This section is forever dedicated to the hard work and perseverance of Chief Max McRae.

 
 
 
 

Houston Fire Museum

2403 Milam Street

Houston, Texas 77006

Phone: (713) 524-2526

Google Map Link

 

HFD History

A brief look into the history of the Houston Fire Department

We are in the middle of redesigning this section of the web site.  Please be patient as we rebuild.

The Houston Fire Department began as a bucket brigade in 1838, one year after the city incorporated. There is limited history telling of the expansion over the ensuing years to the modern fire department today. What is left of the history, however, is quite colorful, heroic, sometimes humorous, and interspersed with tragedy. So much of the fire department's history has been lost. A series of events took its toll on the records of the past: 1) city records were destroyed by Union troops who occupied the city after the Civil War;

Related Topics

  Line of Duty Deaths
  Expanded History
  Early Fire Companies
  Apparatus Types
  Volunteer Chiefs
  Paid Chiefs
  Life of a Fireman
  Major Fires
  Fire Divisions
  Special Units
  Historic Events
  About the Author
2) two devastating fires destroyed the city offices in Market Square; and 3) a fire razed the central fire station in 1904.  Part of the problem could have been a lack of appreciation for the past by many of the early fire chiefs.

 

We strive to make the history as accurate as possible. If any present or past firefighter finds something in the history that is not as they remember, or lacks some detail they feel needs to be added, please contact the author. (Please put HFMI Web in the subject line.) We also welcome comments from others.

 

Copyright 2008 Houston Fire Museum, Inc.  All rights reserved.

The Houston Fire Museum, Inc. is a 501-C- 3 non-profit organization educating the community on fire and life safety and the history of the fire service. The Museum is supported by membership, gift shop sales and the generous contributions of foundations and corporations.