Carlstadt Fire Department Works to Preserve 160-Year-Old Apparatus
Photo by Courtesy of Carlstadt Fire Department
Carlstadt, N.J. — September 16, 2026 — The Carlstadt Fire Department was given a donation by the Robert E. & Marie Orr Smith Foundation to help preserve its historic fire museum and antique hand-pumper.
In its September 16 announcement, the department stated that the donation will assist in preserving and showcasing the antique equipment for the public. The department stated that the project will give residents and visitors a glimpse into Carlstadt’s early firefighting history.
The department’s historical records classify the apparatus as an 1865 James P. Smith hand-pumper. In 1881, Carlstadt bought the hand-pumper for $350; it served the borough and surrounding communities in South Bergen County until it was retired from active use in the early 1900s.
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