 On November 15th, 1870, the new chartered City
Council introduced an ordinance to establish,
regulate and control a Fire Department.
"Bayonne Hook and Ladder Co. #1" received
their charter on November 22nd, 1870. They held
their first meeting in their new firehouse on June
10th, 1875, at 10 West 47th Street (then Northview
Ave.).This was accomplished much to the efforts
of Councilman James Rollston. In August
of 1884, the
2nd floor was built to accommodate much needed larger quarters, as the hand
drawn (pulled) Truck Company had become horse drawn.
In September of 1906 the volunteers were disbanded
and were replaced by a paid department, this due to
the tremendous growth of the city. The paid fire
department used this building until 1928, until two
new firehouses were built in Bayonne, one at 4th
Street, and one on 57th Street.
The 47th Street firehouse was turned over to the
Association of Exempt Firemen.
In September of 1974, Mrs. Kenneth Brown (sister of
deceased Fire Captain Edward Kaminski) approached
Fire Chief John T. Brennan to list the firehouse on
the National Register of Historic Buildings. In
early 1976, this was accomplished with the help of
then Mayor Dennis P. Collins and the Director of
Community Development, Mr. Joseph Pulaski. On
October 15, 1979, the now-restored Fire Museum was
dedicated as the Bayonne Firefighter's Museum.
"Fireman Pete" Gwiazdowski was the
museum's first curator. The museum logo was created
and drawn by a Bayonne Firefighter, Al Furman. A 4'
by 4' wooden logo was donated by a Conrail
firefighter and hung outside the museum until May
19, 1988 when the museum was re-dedicated by the
City of Bayonne as the Chief John T. Brennan Fire
Museum. This was to honor the Chief for his
professionalism, dedication, and humanity. He was
appointed in 1943, and rose to the rank of Chief in
1960, and retired in March of 1988 as New Jersey's
longest tenured Fire Chief. Chief Brennan was a
Chief's Chief, and his accomplishments will be
difficult, if not impossible, for those who follow
to duplicate.
City historian, Dr. Walter Robinson, who passed away
in June of 1980 at 79 years of age, was responsible
for much of this information, and for a book
entitled "The Bayonne Fire Department's 75th
Anniversary". The Fire Museum contains much
fine Firefighting memorabilia, including the State
of New Jersey's oldest hand drawn hose carriage.
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Chief
John T. Brennan Fire Museum