Koorsen Fire Museum

Koorsen Fire Museum Step into the Koorsen Fire Museum and back in time to when fires were fought with buckets and grenades.

Come witness the evolution of fire protection throughout the ages!

Thank you to everyone who attended the Fire Muster and Flea Market at the Koorsen Fire Museum this past weekend! Your en...
10/02/2025

Thank you to everyone who attended the Fire Muster and Flea Market at the Koorsen Fire Museum this past weekend! Your enthusiasm for fire safety and its history is what keeps our museum and others like it thriving. ✨

We are so pleased to partner with the Pompier, Pump, and Playpipe Society of Indiana to make this event possible. 🚒

If you were unable to join us this year, we hope to see you at our third annual Fire Muster and Flea Market next year. 🔥

If you attended the event, feel free to post your own pictures in the comments below! ⬇️

Found on street corners and in public buildings all across the country, these fire alarm boxes represent a massive impro...
07/09/2025

Found on street corners and in public buildings all across the country, these fire alarm boxes represent a massive improvement in the ability to alert the public to the existence of a fire. These boxes utilized the telegraph system to call fire departments to a specified location whenever the alarm was pulled. They were often made of cast iron, and they all were marked with a unique number that was assigned based on the box's location.

The Koorsen Fire Museum has over one hundred alarm boxes in its collection.

The IFD Water Tower No. 13 is the largest piece in the Koorsen Fire Museum collection. Originally produced by American L...
06/24/2025

The IFD Water Tower No. 13 is the largest piece in the Koorsen Fire Museum collection. Originally produced by American LaFrance in three distinct pieces, this apparatus could rise to a height of 65 feet, or approximately six stories. The water tower remained in service for more than 40 years before moving into the possession of Rodger J. Birchfield, the IFD Historian. In 2020, the water tower found its home in the Koorsen Fire Museum.

Carbon tetrachloride extinguishers come in various shapes and sizes. These extinguishers, advertised for planes, automob...
06/12/2025

Carbon tetrachloride extinguishers come in various shapes and sizes. These extinguishers, advertised for planes, automobiles, and for home use, were filled with carbon tetrachloride and meant to be pumped with a handle. The chemical inside would shoot out in a stream and douse the fire. Now, carbon tetrachloride is no longer in use as a fire extinguishing agent.

Glass fire grenades like these would have been placed on display inside homes and businesses, usually next to fireplaces...
05/19/2025

Glass fire grenades like these would have been placed on display inside homes and businesses, usually next to fireplaces as a precaution against fire. These grenades would have been filled either with a salt water solution or a chemical called carbon tetrachloride, an effective fire suppressant that has since been banned in fire extinguishers. In the event of a fire, these grenades would be thrown at the base of the flames, and the glass would shatter. The solution inside would douse the flames and put out the fire.

Our Newsham Fire Engine turns 300 this year! This Newsham fire engine is the oldest object in our collection. It was man...
04/07/2025

Our Newsham Fire Engine turns 300 this year!
This Newsham fire engine is the oldest object in our collection. It was manufactured in London, England in 1725 and represents a huge leap in firefighting technology, being one of the earliest fire engine inventions in Europe.
To learn more about the Newsham Fire Engine, visit its page on our website!
https://www.koorsenmuseum.com/items/newsham-hand-pumper

Fire buckets are one of the earliest known methods of fighting fires. Often made of hand-stitched leather, these buckets...
03/12/2025

Fire buckets are one of the earliest known methods of fighting fires. Often made of hand-stitched leather, these buckets were intended to be used in bucket brigades: a line of people using the buckets to pass water from a well, river, or lake to the scene of a fire.
These buckets are some of the oldest pieces in the museum's collection, many dating back to the 18th century.

Soda/acid fire extinguishers make up the largest part of our collection. These extinguishers, dating from the 18th centu...
03/05/2025

Soda/acid fire extinguishers make up the largest part of our collection. These extinguishers, dating from the 18th century to the 20th century, are primarily made of brass or copper and would use chemical reactions to generate enough pressure to put out a fire. They are some of the earliest versions of our modern day fire extinguisher and were a stepping stone toward stopping widespread devastation.

To learn more, visit our website or visit our museum to see our collection in person!

02/13/2025

Welcome to our page!

We are the Koorsen Fire Museum, a private collection turned non-profit museum in the Koorsen Fire and Security Training Center.

The museum was established by the former owner and CEO of Koorsen Fire and Security, Randy Koorsen. It contains over 2500 objects related to the history of firefighting and fire protection.

We are open Mon-Fri from 8-5pm for any visitor to stop by. If you would like to schedule a formal guided tour, email us or check out our website for more details!

Address

2820 N Webster Avenue
Indianapolis, IN
46219

Opening Hours

Monday 8am - 5pm
Tuesday 8am - 5pm
Wednesday 8am - 5pm
Thursday 8am - 5pm
Friday 8am - 5pm

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