Downtown in Boston in Suffolk County, Massachusetts — The American Northeast (New England)

Electric Fire Alarm System, 1852

Photographed By J. Makali Bruton, June 13, 2021

1. Electric Fire Alarm System 1852 Marker

Inscription.

On April 28, 1852, in Johnson Hall formerly on this site, the first municipal electric fire alarm system using call boxes with automatic signaling to indicate the location of a fire was placed into service. Invented by William Channing and Moses Farmer, this system was highly successful in reducing property loss and deaths due to fire and was subsequently adopted throughout the United States and in Canada.

Erected 2004 by Institute of Electricial and Electronic Engineers.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Charity & Public Work • Communications. A significant historical month for this entry is April 1640.

Location. 42° 21.471′ N, 71° 3.585′ W. Marker is in Boston, Massachusetts, in Suffolk County. It is in Downtown. Marker is on School Street. Marker is near the Old City Hall. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Boston MA 02108, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Boston Public Latin School (here, next to this marker); Latin School (here, next to this marker); a different marker also named Boston Public Latin School (here, next to this marker); The Parker House (a few steps from this marker); Public Latin School (a few steps from this marker); Benjamin Franklin

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(a few steps from this marker); School Street Political Life (a few steps from this marker); The Democratic Donkey and the Republican Elephant (a few steps from this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Boston.

Photographed By Devry Becker Jones (CC0), January 27, 2023

2. Electric Fire Alarm System, 1852 Marker

Old City Hall image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Beverly Pfingsten, August 16, 2014

3. Old City Hall

Credits. This page was last revised on January 30, 2023. It was originally submitted on August 28, 2014, by Bill Pfingsten of Bel Air, Maryland. This page has been viewed 547 times since then and 23 times this year. Photos: 1. submitted on June 28, 2021, by J. Makali Bruton of Accra, Ghana. 2. submitted on January 30, 2023, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. 3. submitted on August 28, 2014, by Bill Pfingsten of Bel Air, Maryland.