Becoming Fearless
This exhibit has now closed. Becoming Fearless explored 70 years of firefighting in Oklahoma with 25 black-and-white images, giving a unique look into the evolution of this profession.
A steam pumper Oklahoma City fire engine No. 9, taken between 1890 and 1920 (16820, Oklahoma Historical Society Photograph Collection, OHS).
Becoming Fearless traced firefighting from the early days of acrobatics, antics, and volunteerism in the 1900s to the sophisticated fire safety systems in place today. Feats of agility along with a bit of humor color the early days of firefighters. Horse-drawn fire equipment was the standard from 1889, when the Oklahoma City Fire Department (OCFD) was established, until 1910 when the first motorized firefighting vehicle was introduced. The long shifts lent themselves to the creation of fire stations as second homes and families, including pets or house mascots such as dogs, goats, and sheep.
The images chosen for the exhibit depict firehouses, equipment, and uniforms from across the state. Guthrie established its fire department in 1889, the same year as Oklahoma City. Tulsa followed in 1900, Enid in 1902, and Edmond in 1903. Most started with volunteers only, and some rural areas today still utilize volunteer firefighters. A small selection of artifacts from the Oklahoma Historical Society collections are featured, including the 1951 Class A uniform worn by one of the first 12 African American OCFD firefighters, Marvin O. Nelson.
