Historic Belmont Firehouse

On a big time rainy Saturday several months ago, the Architectural Heritage Center hosted an hour and a half lecture on Portland's Firehouses, complete with a superb PowerPoint and two experts to talk in support of the photos we saw. Afterwards we had the opportunity to visit the Historic Belmont Firehouse in Southeast Portland on the corner of SE Belmont and SE 35th. I bundled up, caught the bus and made it there before the fireman came to open the doors. So much rain meant no outdoors photos, but I took lots of them inside. A couple for you are right here.

From the sign nearby: This 1860 hand-drawn hose cart was built in Portland by John Honeyman & Co. Hoses were brought to the fire on a separate hand- or horse-drawn card. Different size and types of hose served different purposes. Hard-sided (always round) could draw water from the source. Soft-sided (flat when empty) was carried by firefighters to attack the fire.


Members of the Sellwood Volunteer Company pose with their hand-pulled hose cart and ladder truck.



From the signs nearby: An 1860 Jeffers hand pumper was ordered for volunteer Columbian Engine Company #3 on August 19, 1859, and received on October 14, 1860. Public subscription raised $1,500 for the engine. The final cost, with shipping from New York by sea, was $3,099.91. Portland's Jeffers side-stroke hand pumper was purchased by the City of Portland for the Columbian Engine Company #3 in 1860. This simple engine used manually operated piston pumps to force water through a nozzle. It took about 30 people to pump 160 gallons per minute.