The Indianapolis Firefighters Museum is housed in old Fire Station #2, which was in service from 1871 until 1929. The station was one of four identical structures built in the late 1870's and was, for its time, the state of the art in fire house design. It remains the oldest fire station in Marion County and the only one of the four 1870 structures still standing. It currently houses turn of the century horse-drawn firefighting apparatuses on loan from the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, courtesy of the Hulman family.

Lessons that are learned while visiting the Indianapolis Firefighters Museum

• The horse-drawn chemical wagon is like a big Soda Acid fire extinguiser. Sodium Bicarbonate was dropped in the top hatch and the chemical reaction created pressure to charge the hose lines. It was used for quick attacks on small fire outbreaks.

• The horse-drawn steam pumper was built in 1898. It is an American LaFrance type 3 Metropolitan.

• The hand pumper was built in 1850 and probably was used in a small town or factory. Water was pumped by hand from streams, lakes and puddles for putting out fires.