During the 19th century Boston's fire department personel consisted of a mix of full-time uniformed fire fighters as well as volunteers.

Retired Boston Fire Chief John Damrell inspecting Philadelphia's veteran fire fighters before a parade in Boston in 1896, 24 years after Damrell managed the battle against the Boston's Great Fire of 1872.

Boston Fire Chief John Damrell ca. 1870. Damrell lead the firefighting efforts to extinguish Boston's Great Fire of 1872.

The fire steamer known as "The Cataract" hosing down ruins after the Great Fire.

Fire ruins at the intersection of Summer Street and High Street just after the Great Fire of 1872.