Denver Fire Department charitable work
What is That Firefighter Up To? Wow Photo Wednesday
On first glance, this photo appears to have been pulled directly out of a horror movie. But those are not piles of corpses awaiting treatment by a mad scientist; they're actually toy dolls awaiting repair by a Denver firefighter.
The photo, dated 1940, and taken by Harry Rhoades, shows an unnamed Denver firefighter filling the hours between calls by retooling toys to give to Denver's less fortunate youngsters.
Like so many photos in our collection, this photo is short on details and big on questions. But this image is only a few (or many) hours of research away from some definitive answers. One resource that might help fill in the blanks is our Western History Subject Index. This reference gem functions as a basic index to a variety of local papers, with an obvious emphasis on the Denver Post and Rocky Mountain News.
Perhaps the answer is in one of many books and manuscript collections we have that focus on the Denver Fire Department and its activities going back to 1866? Maybe the answer is in Denver Fire Department, 1866-1991: A 125-Year Tradition or Denver Firefighters: The Desire to Serve, The Ability to Perform, The Courage to Act.
It's tough to say, but the bottom line here is this, if you've got a challenging question about Denver, Colorado, or the Trans-Mississippi West, there's a good chance we've got the tools you need to help find an answer.
Comments
When I was growing up in Chicago, in the late '50's-60's, I remember going to the library and then the adjacent Fire Station. (Michelle Obama later grew up in this neighborhood- South Shore.)
Brian, for you to research, what is on the site where the huge 19th Century Chicago Fire started? I find the answer very ironic.
Well, I know it's not Mrs. O'Leary's Creamery and Dairy! But a little research does reveal that's where the Chicago Fire Academy currently resides. Thanks for the great info WRT!
The Denver Firefighters Museum, 1326 Tremont Pl., has a Feb. exhibit on Denver Black Firefighters. See their website for more information on this and other upcoming exhibits.
Initial information came to me from a "Denver Post" article.
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