Santa Ana Fire Museum grand opening

Santa Ana Fire Station on Sycamore between 3rd and 4th Streets (Photo: Bowers Museum)

In February of last year, the Santa Ana City Council extinguished the 128-year-old Santa Ana Fire Department, outsourcing services to the Orange County Fire Authority. But the legacy of the Department will live on thanks to some dedicated volunteers.

The Santa Ana Historical Preservation Society (SAHPS) invites you to attend the grand opening of the Santa Ana Fire Museum, which will also serve as their annual member meeting, Saturday, Aug. 24, 2013, 11am-4pm at Fire Station #75, 120 W. Walnut St. The festivities will kick off with presentations and awards from 11:30 to 12:30, and light refreshments served at 12:30.  Guided museum tours will be conducted from 1:00 to 4:00 and the public is cordially invited to attend this free event.

Restored 1926 fire engine in front of the Santa Ana Fire Museum.

Recently acquired by the SAHPS in an agreement with the City of Santa Ana and the Orange County Fire Authority, the museum is housed in an active OCFA fire station. Firefighter Lou Fernandez, who helped create the museum, is curator of the extensive collections, which include vintage firefighting equipment, photos and memorabilia which ranges from the 1880s to the 1960s. A fully restored 1926 Seagrave fire engine is also part of the collection.

Please RSVP your attendance at (714) 547-9645 or rsvp@sahps.org. For more information see the Society’s website at SantaAnaHistory.com or the museum’s website: SantaAnaFireMuseum.com. 

The Orange County Archives will also be open for special Saturday hours (10am-3pm) on Aug. 24th. The Archives are located only a short distance from the new fire museum, in the Old Orange County Courthouse at 211 W. Santa Ana Blvd. Stop by while you're in the neighborhood and do a little historical research!