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.
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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 |