The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Fire Museum
and Education Center

The Charlotte Mecklenburg Fire Museum and Education Center is committed to the fire safety and education as part of an on-going outreach effort for the community.  It is dedicated to the preservation of the rich history of Charlotte-Mecklenburg firefighting past and the dissemination of the fire service to the public through programs, exhibitors and educational activities.

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The Museum and Education Center has thee objectives

• To engage in fire safety and fire prevention with schools, public agencies, civic organizations, community groups and individuals

• To promote ongoing study and research of the Charlotte Mecklenburg firefighting history adn to disseminate that information.

• To serve as a repository for the artifacts and memoriabilia related to the area's firefighting history and to encourage cooperation preserving and propagating a better understanding of the fire service history.

The Hornets
The first mention of fire services in City records occurs in 1845, when the Board of Alderman approved payment for repair of a fire engine.  The engine was hand drawn, hand pumped, and manned by "Fire Masters" who were paid on an on-call basis.  The fire bell hung on the Square at Trade adn Tryon.  When a fire broke out, the discoverer would run to the square and ring the bell.  Thus alerted, the volunteers would assemble at the Square to find where the fire was, then run to its location.  The first arrivers would go to the station, located a block away at Trade and College, for the apparatus and then run to the fire.  The original volunteers called themselves the Hornets.
 

The Museum
The efforts to have a fire museum were born in 1996 with the restoration of Charlotte Fire Departments 1891 horse drwan steamer (OLD SUE).  Under the direction of Battalion Cheif Randy Mowery with the support from the business community, a beutiful place of history emerged.

Battalion Chief Mowrey then brought a small goup of fire fighters together to pursue the idea of a Fire Museum and Education Center.  Fire Chief L.L. FincherJr. enthusiastic about the idea, gave the go ahead with the investigation and wrk on the Museum's establishment.  The largest fundraising efforts by the firefighters are operating of parking lots during the Panther's games.  The road has been long, but with the support and help from Charolotte-Mecklenburg's corporate citizens, the public and fund raising and efforts of the firefighters the project is now a marvelous history museum in the heart of Charlotte.

The museum is a joint effort between the Charlotte Fire Department and the Mecklenburg County volunteer Fire Departments to exhibit fire equipment and memorabilia, as well as educating the public on safety.