Union Firehouse

You are at our historic Union Firehouse, stop #3 on the Belmar Treasure Trail. The Union Firehouse celebrated its 100thbirthday in April 2011. It is one of three firehouses whose members work together to protect Belmar. Until 1889, the Ocean Beach Association – this is what Belmar was originally named – owned a small hook and ladder wagon used by men in the community who volunteered to keep water barrels and buckets by their back doors or woodsheds. But then in 1888, a New Year’s Eve fire left an entire block of what today is Main Street in smoldering ruins. Dozens of worried property owners circulated a petition to purchase a steam fire engine, and in June of 1889, a yellow fire engine came to town. A horse named “Major” was half of the team that pulled the bright new pumper until retiring in 1892, when he was replaced by the first motor-powered fire engine. Over the next decade Belmar’s other two volunteer fire companies, the Volunteer Hook and Ladder on 11th Avenue, and the Goodwill Hose Company on 7th Avenue, were incorporated. All three firehouses have interesting historical memorabilia, and welcome passers-by to stop in when volunteers are on duty.