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During the time of riveted leather hoses, many wealthy fire departments organized hose companies and commissioned fire apparatus manufacturers to build elaborate carriages to carry their fire hoses. By 1870, inexpensive cotton and canvas hoses replaced leather hoses, making lighter hose carts the choice for all fire departments. After this switch, many hose companies ordered highly decorated versions of their old carriages for parades and ceremonial events.
Following this trend, Henry S. Kip Hose Company No. 1 of Rhinebeck, New York, ordered a parade hose carriage. After delivery in September 1893, the carriage was immediately displayed in a grand firefighter’s parade, showcasing its beautiful details. It is unknown whether this carriage was used for actual service, but its intricate design suggests it was intended for parade use.
The Rhinebeck Parade Carriage was submitted to many contests, with its first victory occurring at an event for the Hudson Valley Volunteer Firemen’s Association of Kingston, New York, in 1901. This carriage was used into the late 1950s for competitions and parades.
Sometime in the 1950s, Alfro Case of East Windsor Locks, Connecticut, purchased the carriage. Case dismantled the carriage intending to restore it, but never completed the restoration. Peggy Block of Ridgefield, Connecticut acquired the piece from Case in 1974 to complete the restoration. After being returned to its former glory, Donald Herb of Syracuse, New York, purchased the carriage in 2006 and, 13 years later, sold it to the Koorsen Fire Museum.
