Gold Hill in Storey County, Nevada — The American Mountains (Southwest)

Liberty Engine Co. No.1

Photographed by Denise Boose, September 30, 2014

1. Liberty Engine Co. No.1 Marker

Inscription. Gold Hill's first fire company was organized as Silver Hook & Ladd on Novemeber 18, 1863. It disbanded and re-organized as Liberty Hose Co. No.1 on August 19 1864, purchasing its first hose carriage from Folsom & Hiller of San Francisco in October of 1864 for $400. The company occupied a 16 by 25 foot town owned building, later moving to Sol Weil's building on Main St. In 1868, the company purchased a Hunneman hand-pumped fire engine from San Francisco's Howard Engine Co. No.3, re-organizing as an engine company, but retaining the hose company. In 1869 Liberty built its own 28 by 60 foot firehouse on this site, with a bell tower and second floor rooms for the foreman and one or two others. In 1873, the company sold the Hunneman hand engine and purchased a new Button hand, adding a structure on the north side for maintaining and storing hose in 1874. Liberty sold its hand engine in 1910, keeping a four-wheel hose carriage and two-wheel cart in service. Liberty Engine and Hose No.1 disbanded in 1938. A WPA project repaired and painted the firehouse that year, but the combination of heavy snows and schools desk stored on the

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second floor collapsed the old firehouse in the winter of 1952.

Erected 2014 by Comstock Firemans Museum. (Marker Number 36.)

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Notable Buildings • Notable Places. A significant historical month for this entry is October 1864.

Location. 39° 17.643′ N, 119° 39.404′ W. Marker is in Gold Hill, Nevada, in Storey County. It is on Nevada Route 341, on the left when traveling west. Located in lower Gold Hill (SR341) just So. and right next to RR tracks. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: SR341, Virginia City NV 89440, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in Greater Reno Area.

It is also in the American Mountain West.

Globally, it is in North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once New Spain

and also Mexico’s Alta California.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Gold Hill Millionaires (within shouting distance of this marker); Liberty Engine Company No. 1 (within shouting distance

Photographed by Denise Boose, September 30, 2014

2. Liberty Engine Co. No.1 Marker

of this marker); Gold Hill (within shouting distance of this marker); Maynard Block (about 400 feet away, measured in a direct line); Assay Office and Justice Court (about 400 feet away); Fort Homestead, Gold Hill, Nevada (about 500 feet away); Silver Star Lodge # 5 (about 600 feet away); The Yellow Jacket Mine Fire (about 700 feet away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Gold Hill.

Liberty Engine Co. No.1 Bell Tower Monument image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Denise Boose, September 30, 2014

3. Liberty Engine Co. No.1 Bell Tower Monument

Photo Displayed on Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Denise Boose, September 30, 2014

4. Photo Displayed on Marker

The Liberty Engine Co.No.1 building in Gold Hill Stands facing West next door to the Miner's Union Hall. The tracks of the V&T RR run between the two buildings. Today there is a rock monument on the site commemorating the Fire Service of LECo. No.1

Liberty Fire House, Gold Hill, Storey County, NV image. Click for more information.

Photographed by Robert W. Kerrigan, Photographer

5. Liberty Fire House, Gold Hill, Storey County, NV

Historic American Buildings Survey (Library of Congress)
HABS NEV,15-GOLD,1-
Click for more information.

Credits. This page was last revised on June 16, 2016. It was originally submitted on October 4, 2014, by Denise Boose of Tehachapi, California. This page has been viewed 965 times since then and 38 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on October 4, 2014, by Denise Boose of Tehachapi, California. 5. submitted on August 28, 2009, by Syd Whittle of Mesa, Arizona. • Syd Whittle was the editor who published this page.