Fire Engine Plate, "H.P. Macintosh"
name: label: maker
content: unknown
notes: label: Description (Brief)
content: At the core of any fire company is the apparatus used to fight fires and protect lives. This was particularly true of for the volunteer fire fighters in 19th century America. Often purchased with their own funds, their fire engines were the focus of their pride and affection, as well as their identities as fire fighters. Engine plates, often made of brass, would be prominently affixed to engines and inscribed with the company name, number, and founding date. Engine plates could pass from old engine to new, or be kept in the firehouse as a memorial to a departed apparatus.
label: Description (Brief)
content: This silver-plated shield-shaped engine plate reads "H.P. MACINTOSH / 1" engraved in center with the name curving over the "1” in an arch. One hole at top and one hole at bottom for attaching to the plate. There are some brass highlights on the rim and around the engravings. H. P. Macintosh Engine No. 1 was based in Newburyport, Massachusetts. Hiram P. Macintosh (1830-1907) was a noted photographer in Newburyport and served as Chief Engineer of the fire department in the early 1870s. The steam fire engine H. P. Macintosh Engine No. 1 was in service at least during the 1870s and 1880s.
label: Location
content: Currently not on view
place: label: place made
content: United States
topic: label: Subject
content: Fire Fighting
setName: label: See more items in
content: Home and Community Life: Fire Fighting and Law Enforcement
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content: Cultures & Communities
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content: Work
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content: Firefighting Collection
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content: Fire Engine Plates
creditLine: label: Credit Line
content: Gift of CIGNA Museum and Art Collection
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: National Museum of American History
identifier: label: ID Number
content: 2005.0233.0960
label: accession number
content: 2005.0233
label: catalog number
content: 2005.0233.0960
objectType: label: Object Name
content: plate, fire engine
physicalDescription: label: Physical Description
content: plated silver (overall material)
label: Measurements
content: overall: 5 1/2 in x 7 1/4 in; 13.97 cm x 18.415 cm