dc:identifier=httphdllocgovlocpnphec34694

Identified! [Probably members of the Jefferson District Fire Department Women's Auxiliary, which supported the construction of the Jefferson District Fireman's Hall and Community House in Arlington, Virginia, seen underway in the background] (LOC)

from The Library of Congress

• 4 older comments, and then…
• swanq said:

  The hats say "Jefferson District."

• K. Harper said:

  I don't know if it's related to the purpose of this picture, but milk used to be firefighters' remedy for smoke inhalation.

• Arlen Breiholz said:

  Since they all appear to be women, I would guess it was perhaps during the War when women took over jobs that men would normally hold.

• swanq said:

  The neighboring picture in the Harris & Ewing collection at LoC is www.loc.gov/pictures/item/hec2013004730/resource/ which shows these women doing construction work. The photo here must be the team taking a break. Since this is likely to be in the Washington DC area, one possibility is the Jefferson District firestation, #5 station in Arlington, VA. fire.arlingtonva.us/locations/fire-station-5-jefferson-di... [watch the cycling images] and arlington392.rssing.com/chan-7530228/all_p2.html both show views of the Jefferson District station. The first is undated with three early engines. The second was taken in the 1950s. The photos show obvious signs of extension and patched brickwork. Could this photo have been taken when that station was being extended by volunteers? From a blog post about the new station opened in 2008: arlingtonfirejournal.blogspot.com/2008/04/new-fire-statio... "The original Company No. 5 was organized on Dec. 17, 1926, when the County Board of Alexandria County - as Arlington was then known - approved the charter of the Jefferson District Volunteer Fire Department. The original company listed seven firefighters on its rolls and operated from a member’s garage at 206 Frazier Avenue - now 23rd Street South - in Aurora Hills. In 1928, the volunteers opened a station at 101 Frazier Ave. (With the adoption of a new street naming scheme, the station was addressed 501 South 23rd St.)." This all seems consistent with this being the station at 101 Frazier Ave (later 501 South 23rd St) during 1927/28 -- but not totally definitive.

• Jon (LOC P&P) said:

  Nice detective work swanq. I think you're right, this appears to be the Jefferson District station in Arlington, VA. I searched some newspapers databases to see if I could find a related story but I didn't have any luck. The closest thing I found was an article in the May 18, 1928 issue of the Washington Post which mentioned a celebration for the the opening of the Jefferson fire station. State Senator Frank Ball said "...I would fall far short did I not say that success only followed with the loyal and hearty support of the women of the auxiliary who have worked day and night in the interest of the department." We'll add this information to the catalog record.