Program provides glimpse of 1890 July Fourth Celebration

Thanks to a recently obtained document, visitors to the Frederick Fire and Rescue Museum can get a sense of how Independence Day was celebrated in Frederick more than 120 years ago, as well as the role the three historic fire companies played in the life of the city.
Last weekend, the museum received a copy of the program from the 1890 "Grand Fourth of July Celebration" put on by the city's three fire companies. The celebration included a parade featuring the more than 300 members of the Frederick companies, as well as several hundred more firefighters from towns like Mechanicsville -- now Thurmont -- Martinsburg, W.Va., Shepherdstown, W.Va., and Mercersburg, Pa.

Chip Jewell, museum president and director of Frederick County Emergency Communications, said the program immediately piqued his interest when he saw the events were sponsored by the "Fire Department of Frederick, MD."

"There was never a Frederick fire chief, and there was never an actual fire department," Jewell said. "It was always the three companies, but at least in 1890 they called themselves the Fire Department of Frederick, Md., which is something that is kind of unique."

Jewell said the program gives a sense of the central role the fire and rescue services played in the community.

"It really was a community event," he said. "Between the three companies, there were over 300 people in the line of march. That was probably 5 percent of the population of the city when you think about it.

There were hundreds of people involved. That's a strong indication of just how the heart of the community revolved around the fire service."

The program was donated by Middletown resident Willard Rudy, a former member of Frederick's Independent Hose Co. and the Middletown Volunteer Fire Co. Rudy, who said members of his family served with Independent as far back as the Civil War era, found the document in a collection of papers left behind by his late mother.

"I said 'You know, this belongs in a museum,'" Rudy said. "And I figured the Frederick County Fire and Rescue Museum would be the best place for it."

Jewell said the timing of the gift was perfect, and the program was on display over the holiday weekend, when he said about 20 visitors toured the museum.

"This was really neat to have something that is in very good condition," Jewell said.

"And it gives a whole different reflection, particularly finding it at the July Fourth holiday, of what happened in Frederick 121 years ago this past weekend."