SOHS Fire Engine
Welcome to SOHS's account of our Amphibious Fire Engine. It provides the history of the fire engine, and the SOHS all-volunteer effort to restore the fire engine so it can ride again!
Please use this link to view photos of the restoration process.
SOHS's Amphibious Fire Engine The Southern Oregon Historical Society’s “amphibious” fire engine was ordered new by the City of Ashland early in 1946, but with postwar shortages, delivery took nearly a year. The Ford truck chassis was converted to a fire pumper by the Howard Cooper Company at their Portland factory. It then served Ashland for nearly thirty years before being sold as surplus to a private party. The fire engine acquired its unusual nickname during a flood in January of 1948. Firefighters placed the engine on the bridge at the entrance to Lithia Park. While they were preparing to pump out the basement of… more |