A Fire to Remember

Not quite nine months after the February 7, 1913 vote to incorporate Homestead, a savage fire swept through the newly designated town.

In another excerpt from Bob Jensen, co-author of Homestead Florida: From Railroad Boom to Sonic Boom, the November 10, 1913 fire was the first major fire the town faced.

"It [the fire] burned down five buildings on what is now Flagler Avenue in downtown Homestead in two hours. The Town of Homestead had no fire fighting equipment or even a volunteer fire department. The fire began about 2:00pm in the east end of the attic of the Homestead Inn - now Hotel Redland. The barber shop of John Killinger just a few feet from the hotel caught fire next, followed by the new and not yet occupied real estate office of L.A. Love. The house just south of this office owned by J.E. Cochrane also caught fire. Damage to the Homestead Inn was $6,000. The former Campbell Bros. Store was used by the Homestead Mercantile Co. which left about $1,500 in goods behind. The Homestead Mercantile Co. had $1,000 in insurance and the hotel was insured for $1,800 and its furniture for $1,000, but the damage to the hotel was estimated at $6,000.

By March of 1914 Homestead had purchased a fire engine and was planning to organize a volunteer fire department. The new fire engine arrived Friday March 27 1914. This first fire apparatus was a hand drawn pumper purchased from the federal government in Key West for $750 in 1913 when a barracks was closed down. Upon arrival it was tested at the canal near Detroit – now Florida City. Between 600 and 700 feet of new hose was also purchased. Walter J. Tweedell dug wells just north of the Sullivan hotel which was east of the FEC Depot, north of the post office, in front of the Homestead Pharmacy and elsewhere. Tweedell was also at that time Dade Co. County Commissioner for District Five – the southern most district.

The next step was to organize a volunteer fire department which Homestead did. Volunteers and a few paid firemen provided fire protection for Homestead until that responsibility was turned over to Miami Dade County after the 1950s.

After the fire of November 1913 many of the commercial buildings constructed were of masonry rather than of wood. Many towns and cities in the US learned the hard way that downtown wooden buildings often caught fire and entire downtowns burned to the ground.

Nine years later in April of 1922 fire destroyed the packing house of the Homestead Growers' Association during a Sunday night with a loss of about $45,000. The fertilizer warehouse of B.W. Morris, immediately adjoining, also used by Horne and Horton as a packing house, was also destroyed. The Hector Supply warehouse and Homestead Mercantile Co. building were saved. At the time the City's primary fire fighting equipment was a 1917 American La France Type 40 Triple Pumper fire truck.

In 1923 the City ordered a 1924 American La France Type 75 triple compound fire engine which was delivered in March of 1924. In 1935 the City acquired a 1933 Sentry model centrifugal pumping, hose and chemical truck which was built by the Seagrave Company of Columbus, Ohio specifically for sub-tropical service; it was acquired from the federal government." End of extract.

The 1924 restored fire engine is indeed the same one on display in the Homestead Town Hall Museum. It is the signature item that catches attention as people pass in front, and yes, parents are sometimes pulled in by eager children wanting a closer look. At other times, there are simply extra nose and handprints to clean from the large glass doors. Those who come to the museum are often surprised to learn the Town Hall was also the Fire Department and housed the small police department.

Although Homestead retained the Police Department which has grown with the City, in 1968 fire and rescue departments throughout the County began merging into Miami-Dade Fire Rescue Department (MDFR).

To learn more about our local history or to add information about our local history, visit the downtown Homestead Town Hall Museum, 41 Krome Ave, across from Losner Park. Hours are Tuesday-Saturday, 1:00-5:00 p.m., and there is no charge for admission. You can also visit the website of townhallmuseum.org or call (305) 242-4463.