City of Bismarck Brings ’26 Seagrave Back to the Organization

The City of Bismarck has brought a piece of its firefighting history back into the organization after decades away. The fire truck - the second ever owned by the city - was purchased from the Beck family for $25,000 after it had been sold at a city surplus auction decades ago.

"This truck is a symbol of the pride and honor that we have in our tradition and history," said Bismarck Fire Chief Joel Boespflug," We're very excited to have it and to be able to display it. It's a tribute to those who served before us. We are extremely grateful to the Beck family and to (Bismarck City Administrator) Jason Tomanek for helping make this happen."

The truck's return to the City of Bismarck was through a series of serendipitous contacts resulting in Tomanek visiting the storage facility where the truck was housed.

"It was one of those moments where local people were talking about local history and the right things happened at the right time," said Tomanek. "Jim Beck mentioned the truck was for sale and the City Commissioners agreed it was a piece of our history worth bringing home."

"This fire truck means a lot to the community," said City Commissioner and Fire Department Portfolio Holder John Risch. "For decades, it played a key role in protecting our citizens. It's living history, not just a photo or a story. We want to have it out in the community, especially in 2026 when it turns 100 years old."

Fire Captain Chris Anderson, who earlier in the year had helped lead a historical presentation on the department, noted the '26 Seagrave served as a transitional apparatus between horse-drawn fire and motorized fire response in Bismarck. Anderson noted the truck was purchased for $12,500 and built for the city's fire department in 1926 in Ohio and had a storied career with the department:

• It arrived in December 1926 and responded to its first fire a few months later, on March 22, 1927.
• It would serve as the lone unit responding for a time during the Capitol Building fire on December 28, 1930, when the department's other truck had gotten stuck en route and needed to be towed.
• It once pumped water for 48 consecutive hours during a fire response in 1946.
• The fire truck did not carry water, but pumped water from a hydrant at 750 gallons per minute. Today, Bismarck Fire Department's fire trucks pump 2,000 gallons per minute.
• The Seagrave was in service in Bismarck until the 1960s. During his research, Anderson was able to find parts orders for the truck dating back to 1963.

"Firefighters take a lot of pride in their work, their department and the history of their department," Anderson said. "We were the first organized fire department in the Dakotas - this is a way to honor that legacy. With the research I've done recently, I've learned a lot about this truck and I'm probably more excited about it than anybody else. Seeing it in front of me, it was surreal. But as a department, we are all extremely excited and proud of what it represents."

The '26 Seagrave had been a familiar sight in parades until about three years ago but has not been running since. After the City purchased the truck, firefighters and Public Works staff helped load the truck onto a trailer and transport it to Public Works where mechanics in the Fleet Division will rejuvenate its inner workings.

One idea for the short term is that once running the truck could be stored at Station #2 on Expressway. Glass panels could replace existing ones facing the road, allowing the public a view of the truck.

"In the long term, it will be wonderful to find an appropriate location and means to display it permanently to share it with the community," said Tomanek. "I'd love to see it in parades or used in fun ways … maybe even a contest where the winner gets a ride to school in it. I'd say, just keep an eye out for it."