Red, White & Blue Fire Museum

In early 1880, Breckenridge was booming with symbols of prosperity and permanence. Under construction were fine residences and commercial, false-fronted buildings. Wooden boardwalks lined the walkways along the wide Main Street. The buildings in town were constructed of log or wood, with muslin or paper insulation lining the interior walls. And, they were firetraps.

The threat of a major fire, accentuated by an occasional small blaze, was the reason for the formation of the all-volunteer Breckenridge Fire Department in 1880. The department soon boasted three companies. They were the Red: The Pioneer Hook and Ladder Company, the White: The Independent Hose Company and the Blue: The Blue River Hose Company.

Through the years, the Breckenridge Fire Department was composed of miners, teamsters, saloonkeepers, merchants and others. Side by side the worked as equals to defeat the “fire demon.”

Today, the threat of another major fire in Breckenridge is virtually gone, and Breckenridge’s fire department is no longer “all-volunteer.” New legislation has created stricter fire codes and a paid department – the Red, White & Blue Fire Protection District. The current Fire Museum displays an original human-powered ladder cart, a restored hose cart as well as fire fighting equipment and uniforms from the first companies.

Tours are available by visiting the Red, White & Blue Fire Station