The Connecticut Fire Museum and Motorcoach Museum

09/11/2026

May we never forget.

08/16/2026

Who you gonna call? The Connecticut Ghostbusters were looking for a new firehouse and stopped by to check it out. SpiderGuyCT also stopped by to say hi. Don't forget to take a look at all the cool fire trucks and busses if you are coming to the comic book show and Princess and Superhero weekend at the Connecticut Trolley Museum this weekend.

07/28/2026

Everyone loves a parade!

Over the past month we've attended two parades. On June 27 we attended the East Windsor Historical Society America 250th parade. For fire engines, We brought our 1941 Ford/American LaFrance which served the New Hartford Volunteer Fire Department, our 1929 Ahrens-Fox piston pumper which served the Auburn - Maine Fire Department and our 1945 Seagrave which served Jewett City and United Nuclear in Montville, CT. From our motor coach collection, we brought 2039, a 1962 GM New Look "Fishbowl" bus that started service with The Connecticut Company and later CTtransit in Hartford and 504, a 1965 New Look that served The Connecticut Railway & Lighting Company in Bridgeport and Waterbury.

On July 11 we took part in the Enfield 4th of July Parade with ET-243, our 1975 American LaFrance Century series that served The Ellington Volunteer Fire Department (CT).

Thanks to volunteer Phil and Matt for the photos and video.

07/12/2026

What a great day for a parade! On Saturday, we participated in the Enfield Fourth of July Town Celebration parade with our 1975 American LaFrance Century Series engine. This engine served the The Ellington Volunteer Fire Department (CT) from 1975 until 2012 when it was donated to the museum.

07/07/2026

On a hot summer day, 82 years ago in Hartford, one of deadliest fires in the United States occurred. On July 6, 1944 The Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus was on Barbour St., performing a Thursday manatee to a crowd of about 7,000 mostly women and children as most of the men were involved in the war effort. The crowds were enjoying The Flying Wallendas when the band suddenly played "The Stars and Stripes Forever," a march that signaled distress to circus performers. The tent was on fire. Moments later, at 2:44 PM box 82, at the corner of Clark St and Westland St was pulled and Engine 7, along with other apparatus was dispatched.

Despite the best efforts of firefighters, the tent quickly burned to the ground, tragically killing an estimated 167 people and injuring over 700 more. Many factors, such as animal chutes blocking exits and a common water proofing method at the time, a mix of 1,800 pounds of paraffin wax dissolved in 6,000 gallons of gasoline made the situation worse.

Engine 7, the first arriving engine to this tragedy is on display at the museum for visitors to view and better understand a part of Connecticut history. The museum is open in conjunction with the Connecticut Trolley Museum.

04/07/2026

We had an awesome visit from CTtransit this past week! It’s always special to share Connecticut’s transit history—especially during CTtransit’s 50th anniversary.

In our bus collection, several vehicles began service with the Connecticut Company and later went on to serve CTtransit before being donated to our museum. Come by and see them!

The museum is now open for the season in conjunction with the Connecticut Trolley Museum

04/02/2026

Thank you to FOX61 for visiting our museum! Keep an eye out for more on the Connecticut Fire & Motorcoach Museum!

We have big plans for the 2026 season and hope to see you at the museum!

07/06/2025

Hartford Engine 7, the first arriving Engine Company to the scene of the infamous Hartford Circus Fire is in our collection and always on display!

Visit us to see this living piece of history on display!

Few who lived through the Hartford Circus Fire would ever forget it. On July 6, 1944, before an audience of 7000 people, mostly women and children, the Big Top caught fire during a show. The fire spread quickly and many were trapped inside the tent.

About 700 people were injured, many gravely with extensive burns, and 167 were killed. It is considered one of the worse fire disasters ever in the United States.

This page from the Telephone Bulletin of the Southern New England Telephone recounts the horror of the event, but also details how the company responded. Thousands of people were frantically making calls to locate loved ones, all of which had to be routed through the company switchboards. The company established an emergency telephone center at the site of the tragedy for use by the police and fire and rescue officials. Installers were dispatched to the city's hospitals to add circuits, and additional operators were brought in to handle the increased calls. Company vehicles were sent to the circus site to help in rescue work.

We hold the records of the Southern New England Telephone Company, which served Connecticut from 1878 to 1998. The company's efforts to aid in the tragic Hartford Circus Fire is one of many times the company had stepped up to service the people of the state.

06/27/2025

Springfield Street Railway 169 (1936 ACF Brill H17) has been driving around the Northern part of Connecticut this week! 169 has been to Hartford, Manchester, and will soon be returning to our museum after getting tire work done this past week.

Pictured here is 169 at the Manchester O'Reilly Auto Parts Store.

Want to help keep transit history alive? Come volunteer with us, no experience required! Email us at [email protected] or send us a DM for more information.

06/24/2025

On our way to Derby 350 in CR&L 504, we had a surprise encounter... with the Google Street View car in Orange!

It's a great reminder that these historic vehicles are still out on the road, representing transportation history in motion.

Come visit the Connecticut Fire & Motorcoach Museum to see this bus in person and explore our collection of vintage motorcoaches, fire apparatus, and more!

Seen us on the road? Let us know in the comments!