Heroes of the City: Early Firefighters of the San Francisco Fire Department

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
CONTACT: Charles Schuler
Director of Marketing & Communications
San Francisco International Airport
(650) 821-5031
[email protected]
SF-26-26

Heroes of the City
Early Firefighters of the San Francisco Fire Department

New exhibition explores the early decades of the San Francisco Fire Department and pays tribute to those brave firefighters who, driven by duty, battled danger, smoke, and flames to save lives and protect their city. Artifacts on display include helmets, cart and engine ornaments, speaking trumpets, hoses, and alarm equipment.

SAN FRANCISCO As San Francisco rapidly grew from a small village into a bustling city during the chaotic early years of the California Gold Rush, the city's firefighters heroically battled one devastating blaze after another in a landscape often rebuilt with materials that made it susceptible to fire. Between 1849 and 1852 alone, the city was nearly burned down six times. At first, all firefighters were volunteers who risked their lives without compensation. In the early years, firefighters used tow-ropes to pull heavy hand-pumped fire engines, as well as hose and ladder carts, to fires on foot while navigating the city's steep hills. In 1866, San Francisco established a professional, paid fire department. Over time, as the city expanded, the department transitioned to horse-drawn steam engines and carts, and by 1921, it became fully motorized.

A very special thank you to the Guardians of the City Museum and Michael McDowell for making this exhibition possible.

Visit SFO Museum for more information.

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Heroes of the City: Early Firefighters of the San Francisco Fire Department is located post-security in Harvey Milk Terminal 1 of the San Francisco International Airport. This exhibition is accessible from June 27, 2026-May 23, 2027 to ticketed passengers, and through prior arrangement by emailing [email protected]

About Guardians of the City Museum
The San Francisco Fire Department Museum was founded in 1964 to help collect the history of the City's fire department. Guardians of the City (GOTC) is a non-profit organization dedicated to preserving and sharing the history of San Francisco's First Responders. GOTC manages the SFFD Museum, now known as the Guardians of the City first responders Museum. The museum, located at 655 Presidio Avenue, in San Francisco, is run by volunteers and is open to the public.

About SFO Museum

Established in 1980 by the San Francisco Airport Commission, SFO Museum's mission is to delight, engage, and inspire a global audience with programming on a broad range of subjects; to collect, preserve, interpret, and share the history of commercial aviation; and to enrich the public experience at San Francisco International Airport. The Museum has been accredited by the American Alliance of Museums since 1999 and retains the distinction of being the only accredited museum in an airport.

SFO Museum operates more than twenty-five sites throughout the Airport terminals, including fourteen galleries that exhibit a rotating schedule of art, history, photography, science, and cultural exhibitions. Among the sites is the San Francisco Airport Commission Aviation Library and Louis A. Turpen Aviation Museum, which houses a permanent collection of more than 160,000 objects related to the history of commercial aviation. Browse exhibitions and research our collection on the SFO Museum website, join us on Facebook, connect with us on X, follow us on Instagram, and find us on Threads.

About San Francisco International Airport (SFO)

SFO is committed to providing an extraordinary airport experience, with seamless access, thoughtful amenities, sustainable design and inspiring artwork and exhibits.

For up-to-the-minute departure and arrival information, airport maps, and details on shopping, dining, cultural exhibitions, ground transportation and more, visit the SFO website. Connect with us on X, follow us on Instagram, join us on Facebook, find us on Threads, and stay informed on Bluesky.