This from Austin Lawler:
I have a friend who has a group photo of station 3 in Chicago circa 1920’s or 30’s. She would like more information on it. Her grandfather is in the photo.
She states: CFD Station 3? Late 1930’s my paternal grandpa is seated second from right. I know he worked at the house in the stockyards {not sure if it is still there} I know with the people on this site, hopefully some information can be shed on it. Keep up the great work on the site!
photographer unknown
#1 by Austin on August 31, 2015 - 12:05 AM
Thank you everyone for your help! I was able to get some additional information about the person in the photo. During that time he was stationed with engine co. 59. @ FFPM571 I think you may be right. He graduated in 1936 from the academy. Still not sure what the 3 signifies, but at that time period it would have to be from one of the two.
#2 by Tom on August 29, 2015 - 10:30 PM
Chicago fire insurance patrol # 3 5004 s union av?
#3 by ffpm571 on August 29, 2015 - 7:34 PM
Whats to say its at a firehouse? It could be at the old Drill school and that may be a class photo all those guys look pretty young.
#4 by thefiremang on August 29, 2015 - 12:08 PM
Sorry low number engine company or truck company or salvage unit or fire patrol
#5 by thefiremang on August 29, 2015 - 12:06 PM
If you look at the LT cap, above the bulge is a single digit number, tried blowing up pic, but it blurs it out. So it must be a low digit or truck company
#6 by John on August 29, 2015 - 6:50 PM
There were no single-digit engine or truck companies in the stockyards. Engine 3 was in service back then, near Erie & Halsted (?), but not in close proxmation to the stockyards.
#7 by David on August 29, 2015 - 7:37 AM
Quite a shame the guys don’t have their helmets on the pic, would be much easier to tell from the fronts what company this is, the photo itself really doesn’t show much details to tell where this has been taken. IMO this is definitely not a front side of the house, more likely some side gangway or it may have been taken during the time when the building was still in construction, but it’s really hard to tell…
#8 by DMc77 on August 29, 2015 - 12:39 AM
Looking closeup at the brickwork on the left side of the picture, it shows some pretty shoddy work. If this is the front of the firehouse (where group/company photos are usually taken), I would be surprised, as the older firehouses still standing in the city from that era show very good craftsmanship. Also the concrete that is visible in front of the men does not show any signs of a vehicle (rubber tires or steel belted (horse drawn) rims) being driven over it with the regularity a Stockyards company would turn out. Based on the above, I am not sure the picture was taken in front of a firehouse, let alone a CFD firehouse of that era.
I am not sure what the “3” in the picture signifies. If it were a company designation, there would be more than just a number, and back then, the men worked one day on, one day off, know as the two platoon system, so the “3” probably does not relate to which shift the men belonged to
#9 by John on August 28, 2015 - 12:01 PM
If the firehouse was physically in the stockyards, it would have had to been Eng. 53 at 4005 S Packers or Eng. 59, 826 W. Exchange. It’s hard to tell from the pic which one, but from the limestone base in the pic, I might guess Eng. 53.