More from Dan McInerney about Engine 77’s house on the day it was closed. Descriptions for these images:
- Views from both officers/engineers sides again showing tight fit
- outside of firehouse on a cold January day, less than 16 hours to go
- 1984 E-One 1250/500. This pic was taken on a visit on a Saturday in the very late 80s or very early 90s. It shows the rig outside of quarters so the apparatus floor could be scrubbed out. While primarily taken as an apparatus pic, it also shows the the front of the house, with the sign “WE NEVER CLOSE”. There is a large medallion above the door with a small skull on top of it, probably a goat, which would befit the nature of this firehouse/company hanging on in the kind of neighborhood it served. Also, note the condition of the house next door to the south. It too was indicative of the neighborhood at that time. That will change in a few years.
- joker stand
- Next pictures are of my grandfather’s retirement badge when he retired as one of two engineers of E77 in 1952. Back then they were still on the two platoon system. He entered CFD in 1917, was promoted to Engineer at E77 in 1935 and retired in 1952.
Dan McInerney photo
Dan McInerney photo
Dan McInerney photo
Dan McInerney photo
Dan McInerney photo
Dan McInerney photo
Dan McInerney photo
#1 by Thomas E Shanahan Jr on March 18, 2016 - 4:34 PM
I was the Engineer (2nd shift) at Eng 77 from 1989 until November of 2004 when I retired from C F D, in fact I was the last person to retire from Eng 77 before it went out of service in 2005
#2 by john schwartz on July 13, 2015 - 10:37 AM
My father John Schwartz last station was engine 77. would any one out there have any information on 77s last days
thanks John Schwartz junior
Thanks in advance
#3 by Marco on September 14, 2012 - 1:26 AM
Gonna go with Mark on this one….per Cicero FD:
In 1889 the City of Chicago annexed over half of the Town of Cicero. The City of Chicago used the Cicero Fire Houses and continues to use some of them to this day (Engine 96 Truck 29 on Lake and Waller and Engine 77 Roosevelt and Komenski (recently closed)).
#4 by Mark on September 13, 2012 - 11:55 PM
Well I stand corrected. Sorry for the misinformation. I guess we need to let the Cicero Iaff 717 know that their information is wrong on their attached website.
http://www.ciceroiaff717.com/local_717.htm
#5 by DMc77 on September 13, 2012 - 5:14 PM
E77 was not a Cicero FD house. Was built by CFD in 1894, original house replaced in 1927 by house that was torn down last week. The old Cicero FD house at Lake/Lombard (6200 W. in Chicago street #, Lombard is 200 W. in OP street #) street is curently in use by the Oak Park water dept.
#6 by Dennis on September 13, 2012 - 4:54 PM
@ Mark, and Bill–This firehouse was NEVER a Cicero FD house nor was the one that was on this site from 1894 to 1927. This house was built in 1927.
This part of Chicago was already in the city by the time the annexation of 1889 came about. The wood frame house on this site was built in 1894..5 years AFTER chicago annexed parts of Cicero. Before Chicago annexed in 1889 the city limits were Cicero ave to Roosevelt south to Kenton ave to Persching south. That puts this location in Chicago before the annexation in 1889. Thus it couldnt have been a Cicero FD house. The house at 439 N Waller currently Engine 96’s house was built in 1898, with the property purchased by Cicero Township on September 17th, 1898. This house was taken over by members of the CFD on October 12th, 1904.
#7 by Mark on September 13, 2012 - 1:04 PM
Yes you are correct. Also engine 96 at Lake and Waller. In Oak Park at Lombard and Lake (building is there).
#8 by bill on September 12, 2012 - 10:53 PM
Wasn’t this house a cicero FD house originally?
#9 by Mark on September 12, 2012 - 7:41 PM
My father grew up accross the street from this house. Lived there from 1921 to 1956. He used to tell me stories of this house and all the fun that the kids growing up in the neighborhood had with the guys. These stories and the guys at my childhood FD are what got me to become one of the brotherhood.
#10 by Chip Evans on September 12, 2012 - 4:52 PM
where was this old firehouse located at? and what happened to this company when it closed??