Hose Cart

Hose Cart – Pocomoke Hose No. 1 (c. late 1800s)

The hose cart believed to accompany the department’s Clapp & Jones steamer is one of the oldest and most historically significant pieces of equipment preserved by the company. While the exact date of manufacture and service is unknown, the cart is believed to date to the late 19th century, corresponding with the era in which the steamer was placed into service.

The hose cart bears its original “Pocomoke Hose No. 1” markings, providing strong evidence of its direct association with the department’s earliest organized fire protection efforts. Several original components remain intact, further adding to the cart’s authenticity and historical value.

Hose carts of this era were used to transport fire hose to the scene and were typically pulled by hand or horse, operating in conjunction with a steam fire engine. Once on scene, the hose cart supplied hose lines to the steamer, allowing water to be delivered to the fireground.

Today, the hose cart serves as an important artifact of the department’s earliest firefighting operations, representing the ingenuity, dedication, and physical effort required of firefighters prior to the advent of motorized apparatus. Alongside the steamer, it stands as a tangible link to the department’s origins and its long history of service to the community.

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