Resource Type

[Postcard from J. D. Smith to George Pendexter, May 6, 1910]

Postcard from J. D. Smith to George Pendexter with a photograph of the St. Johns Fire Department in St. Johns, Michigan. On the far right of the photograph there is the steamer engine being pulled by two horses, there is another wagon loaded with ladders in the center of the group and more firemen standing on the far left of the picture.
Date: May 6, 1910
Creator: Smith, J. D.
System: The Portal to Texas History

[Postcard from J. D. Smith to George Pendexter, December 10, 1909]

Postcard from J. D. Smith to George Pendexter with a note that says "hope these cards interest you" on the back. The photo on the reverse side shows the ruins of the Burdick House after a fire burned it down on December 9, 1909 in Kalamazoo, Michigan. The building is almost completely destroyed, most of the area is covered in smoke while three firemen are standing in a ground talking together.
Date: December 10, 1909
Creator: Smith, J. D.
System: The Portal to Texas History

[Postcard from W. B. Johnston to George Pendexter, January 29, 1912]

Postcard from W. B. Johnston to George Pendexter discussing other collectors to contact for pictures, Johnston suggests contacting F. A. Bruce, and L. A. Van Toor. The photograph on the reverse side shows the destruction at the Globe M. F. G. Co. building in Battle Creek, Michigan after a fire; the walls are crumpled inwards and the roof has caved in. There are two men standing off to the left looking at the damage left behind by the fire.
Date: January 29, 1912
Creator: Johnston, W. B.
System: The Portal to Texas History

[Postcard from J. D. Smith to George Pendexter, December 17, 1909]

Postcard from J. D. Smith to George Pendexter with a photograph of "the Fire" taking place in Kalamazoo, Michigan. This is the fire that burnt down the Burdick House on December 9, 1909; this picture shows the fire at three A. M. Almost all of the front wall of the building has been destroyed, most of the other walls have been totally wiped out.
Date: December 17, 1909
Creator: Smith, J. D.
System: The Portal to Texas History

[Postcard from W. B. Johnston to George Pendexter, June 12, 1912]

Postcard from W. B. Johnston to George Pendexter describing the photo on the reverse side and his attempt to find more cards to send to Pendexter. Johnston says that he is the man to the left of the one holding the hose and firing the water into the river; he says they are "well pleased with [their] new auto pumper." The photograph shows Johnston and another fireman with the hose shooting water into the river and a large crowd of people standing around watching the display.
Date: June 12, 1912
Creator: Johnston, W. B.
System: The Portal to Texas History

[Postcard from W. B. Johnston to George Pendexter, July 3, 1912]

Postcard from W. B. Johnston to George Pendexter with a note saying: "the auto just returning from a run, we are having it very quite [sic] here at present, one fire in ten days." The picture on the reverse side shows two fire trucks parked outside of the garages at the local fire station; there are firemen riding on the trucks as they are returning from a job.
Date: [1909..1912]
Creator: Johnston, W. B.
System: The Portal to Texas History

[Postcard from W. B. Johnston to George Pendexter, January 22, 1912]

Postcard from W. B. Johnston to George Pendexter concerning life in Battle Creek, Michigan, Johnston says that they are having a cold winter. The photograph shows a building in town badly damaged by a fire; the sign on the building reads: "YES WE WILL REBUILD AT ONCE, TEMPORARY OFFICES 401 EQUITY BLDG., Chamberlin Metal Weather Strip Co."
Date: January 22, 1912
Creator: Johnston, W. B.
System: The Portal to Texas History

[Postcard from J. D. Smith to George Pendexter, December 10, 1909]

Postcard from J. D. Smith to George Pendexter with a photograph showing the "Grand Rapids Fire Engine at Burdick House Fire Kalamazoo, Mich." There is also a note on the back written by Smith detailing his arrival to Grand Rapids. The photograph shows the fire engine parked outside of a building with men standing around it; the wagon has a large steamer engine.
Date: December 10, 1909
Creator: Smith, J. D.
System: The Portal to Texas History

[Postcard from J. D. Smith to George Pendexter, December 10, 1909]

Postcard from J. D. Smith to George Pendexter with a photograph of the "Battle Creek Fire Engine at Kalamazoo, Mich. Dec. 9-1909 Burdick House Fire." Smith says that "Battle Creek was called at 12:50 A. M. at 2 A. M. we were there with our Engine Hose wagon." The photograph shows the fire engine parked on a street with hoses hooked up to it; there are firemen working on the fire and with their fire engine. Another caption on the photograph says that it was "6 below zero" while they were working on the fire.
Date: [1909-12-09..1909-12-10]
Creator: Smith, J. D.
System: The Portal to Texas History

[Postcard from W. B. Johnston to George Pendexter, February 5, 1912]

Postcard from W. B. Johnston to George Pendexter thanking him for the last card Pendexter sent to him and describing the cold weather in Michigan at the time, and mentioning Chief W. P. Week. The photograph on the reverse side shows some fire ruins of the Globe M. F. G. Co. building in Battle Creek, Michigan; most of the debris has ice frozen to it. According to the picture this burned down on November 13, 1911.
Date: February 5, 1912
Creator: Johnston, W. B.
System: The Portal to Texas History

[Postcard from W. B. Johnston to George Pendexter, December 31, 1911]

Postcard from W. B. Johnston to George Pendexter requesting that they exchange their fire photos together; Johnston says he got Pendexter's name from J. D. Smith. The photograph on the reverse side shows the Battle Creek Fire Department "testing stream and #2 steamer" at their testing location; behind the engine there is a large crowd of people watching the testing going on.
Date: December 31, 1911
Creator: Johnston, W. B.
System: The Portal to Texas History

[Postcard with a Photo of the Owosso, Michigan Fire Department]

Postcard addressed to George Pendexter with a photograph of company #1 in the Owosso Fire Department. There are two horse-drawn fire wagons on either side of the picture, the one on the left is loaded with ladders and the one on the right appears to have a steamer engine in the back of it. There are also six firemen photographed, two are seated on either wagon while the other four are standing in between the two wagons.
Date: June 24, 1909
Creator: unknown
System: The Portal to Texas History

[Postcard from W. B. Johnston to George Pendexter, March 18, 1912]

Postcard from W. B. Johnston to George Pendexter discussing the flood of 1908 and the possibility of another flood in the spring. The photograph on the reverse side shows the Battle Creek Fire Department during the flood of 1908; most of the firemen are holding long oars as they sit on the back of a wagon. The wagon itself is being pulled by two horses and has the title "Fire Department" written on the side; the water level rises around a half a foot on the wheels.
Date: March 18, 1912
Creator: Johnston, W. B.
System: The Portal to Texas History

[Postcard from W. B. Johnston to George Pendexter, May 27, 1912]

Postcard from W. B. Johnston to George Pendexter with a photograph of "Auto Engine No. 1" of the Battle Creek Fire Department testing its pump. There is a note on the back of the card describing the location of the truck in the photograph; there is a large group of people standing around the engine during the test.
Date: May 27, 1912
Creator: Johnston, W. B.
System: The Portal to Texas History

[Postcard from W. B. Johnston to George Pendexter, January 29, 1912]

Postcard from W. B. Johnston to George Pendexter telling Pendexter to call Henry W. Woodward in Springfield, Massachusetts for more photographs. Johnston says that the men in the photo belong to Engine #3 as they work on their spraying and he is the man wearing the light shirt; the photograph shows the men with their hose shooting a high pressured stream of water into the air.
Date: January 29, 1912
Creator: Johnston, W. B.
System: The Portal to Texas History

[Postcard from W. B. Johnston to George Pendexter, April 9, 1912]

Postcard from W. B. Johnston to George Pendexter with a note thanking Pendexter for his recent card and describing the fire taking place in the photo on the reverse side of this card. The photograph shows a smoking building with a fire truck parked outside and firemen running hoses into the building; the caption says this fire took place March 25, 1912. There are civilians in the picture as well but they are standing behind the scene watching the firemen work.
Date: April 9, 1912
Creator: Johnston, W. B.
System: The Portal to Texas History

[Postcard from W. B. Johnston to George Pendexter, February 5, 1912]

Postcard from W. B. Johnston to George Pendexter regarding other cards he would like to receive and some that he has available. The photograph on the reverse side shows the "rear of Parker Fur Store" as it is burning on December 7, 1911; most of the picture shows nothing but smoke.
Date: February 5, 1912
Creator: Johnston, W. B.
System: The Portal to Texas History

[Postcard from J. D. Smith to George Pendexter, December 10, 1909]

Postcard from J. D. Smith to George Pendexter with a photograph of the Burdick House prior to the fire that burned it down. The note on the back of the card reads: "Started here in [the] basement and burned the entire block about $850,000 fire." This photograph shows the building intact with people walking underneath the awnings on the sidewalk; the caption on the photo reads: "Burdick House Kalamazoo, Mich., Burned - Dec. 9-1909."
Date: December 10, 1909
Creator: Smith, J. D.
System: The Portal to Texas History

[Postcard from F. A. Bruce to George Pendexter, February 21, 1912]

Postcard from F. A. Bruce to George Pendexter concerning the fire truck in the picture, which is the car Bruce drives. Bruce notes the blizzard conditions in Michigan that include four to five feet snow drifts. The photograph on the reverse side shows a group of firemen sitting in a fire truck that is covered in snow and wearing snow chains; the note on the picture says: "10 below zero inspecting fire alarm."
Date: February 21, 1912
Creator: Bruce, F. A.
System: The Portal to Texas History

[Postcard with a Side View of the Number 3 Fire Station in Battle Creek, Michigan]

Postcard addressed to George Pendexter with a photograph of the number 3 fire station in Battle Creek, Michigan. This station is made up of an assortment of stones, and has a cylindrical tower built into the side of it.
Date: June 1909
Creator: unknown
System: The Portal to Texas History

[Postcard from W. B. Johnston to George Pendexter, June, 1912]

Postcard from W. B. Johnston to George Pendexter with a photograph of a fire station in Otsego, Michigan. This fire station is made out of brick and has a tower attached to the from right corner of the building. The note written by Johnston on the postcard describes all the he had done by hand.
Date: June 1912
Creator: Johnston, W. B.
System: The Portal to Texas History

[Postcard from J. D. Smith to George Pendexter]

Postcard from J. S. Smith to George Pendexter with a photograph of a fire station belonging to the fire department in Charlotte, Michigan. This building is made of brick and has its garage doors open with a chain spanned across the entrance and a fire truck inside of it; in the background there is a bell tower on top of the building.
Date: September 1909
Creator: Smith, J. S.
System: The Portal to Texas History

[Postcard with a Photograph of a Wagon of the Grand Ledge, Michigan Fire Department]

Postcard addressed to George Pendexter with a photograph of one of the horse-drawn fire wagons used by the fire department in Grand Ledge, Michigan. This wagon is sitting in front of two neighborhood homes and is loaded with various fire fighting supplies; a fireman is sitting in the driver's seat.
Date: August 15, 1909
Creator: unknown
System: The Portal to Texas History

[Postcard from W. B. Johnston to George Pendexter, February 12, 1912]

Postcard from W. B. Johnston to George Pendexter discussing the weather and other cards that have been sent from Waco, Texas. The photograph on the reverse side shows "Truck Co. No. 1" in the St. Joseph Fire Department in St. Joseph, Michigan; the wagon in the picture is being pulled by three horses, is loaded with ladders, with two firemen in the driver's seat. The other seven men in the photograph are standing on the sides of the wagon with one fireman sitting on the very back end.
Date: February 12, 1912
Creator: Johnston, W. B.
System: The Portal to Texas History