newyorkfiredepartment

Neat , thanx for sharing !

The date seems to say "9/15/1917" (written in white, backwards, after "Hook & Ladder #7" which starts from the right edge) New York Times 9/14/1917 page 13: "The death of fireman, 1st grade, G. Breler H. & L. 78, is announced. Funeral will take place from 90 Hendricks St., New Brighton, at 8:30 A.M., Saturday, Sept. 15." H&L = Hook and Ladder of course. Address is on Staten Island. Maybe that's enough for someone to figure out exactly where this was taken?

It wasn't taken on Staten Island - there never were elevated train tracks here. The Fireman in the article most probably was from Staten Island. But how does that article relate to this photo? That looks like Manhattan. Thanks LOC for sharing!

I don't see a 1917 date in the inscription. It looks like the name of an intersection - "[illegible] & 15"

@technogeo: You're right! Random chance that the date I misread was the date of a fireman's funeral. So is this the current High Line?

This is a photograph of the ceremonies held on March 20, 1913, to mark the opening of 9 new firehouses in New York City. The firehouse at 111th Street (and Engine 91), was one of the nine new firehouses celebrated that day.

FIRE ALARM TO OPEN 9 NEW FIREHOUSES
New York Times  March 11, 1913

"Unusual ceremonies will mark the opening on Thursday afternoon, March 20, [1913], of the nine new firehouses which are to house ten new companies. Mayor Gaynor will start the companies for their new stations by turning in an alarm from the City Hall, [photo] and later in the day he will award the Fire Department medals to the men who have been selected for distinguished service." [more]

Engine 91 of the New York Fire Department (FDNY) was placed in service on March 20, 1913. [1]   Ladder Company 43 was originally quartered with Engine 91 and Battalion 25 in 1913. Ladder 43 later moved to new quarters at 1836 2nd Ave.[2]

Engine 91 was housed at 244 E. 111th Street, in Manhattan -- proudly known then, and now as "Spanish Harlem". The firehouse exists to this day, and houses the latest iteration of Engine 91. Both the firehouse and the latest version of Engine 91 have been used as set locations for major television and motion picture productions, including the  FX series Rescue Me. [3]

While there isn't a date when the 1913 Engine 91 was removed from service, there was a replacement put in service on Jan 1, 1916.

 
Engine 91 – Then and Now (95+ years later)

 
   
"FDNY Engine 91, NYC (2008)"   by jag9889           "Engine 91 - 1st trip (1913)        by LOC

 

Thanks so much Pixel Wrangler for filling in so much of the story, linking to the article and posting a current photo. Sure hope that folks read the article to know what the alarm was about. We'll add some of the information to the record the next time we update.

Lyric Hotel was at Broadway and 43rd.

Great action captured here.

FDNY -- God bless 'em.

It's hard to tell but I think the building on the right is still there and is now a Hard Rock Cafe.

These pictures have become very addictive,I wish to thank those that painstakingly micro-glass the prints for the all important tidbits of info and hints.................