Blast From the Past
A Blast From the Past: The Squirrel-Tail Hand Pumper
Early Morris Plains fire apparatus dates back to 1876.
In 1906, after a fire destroyed the Weise Hotel and two nearby stores in Morris Plains, an all-volunteer fire brigade was formed. The Morris Plains Fire Department was in need of a pumper and purchased this hand-operated model from the Boonton Fire Department. The device was about 30 years old at the time and had been handmade by a blacksmith. It is made from cast iron with a brass bell and a wooden base. This design is known as a "squirrel-tail " pumper due to its shape. You can see it in person at the Morris Plains Borough Museum at 51 Jim Fear Dr, Morris Plains, NJ. Call 973-683-1089 or check out the website at morrisplainsmuseum.org.
