Organizing Fire

Organizing Fire

by | Feb 5, 2026 | Plymouth

Innovation and necessity have been, and still are, the driving force of progress in almost any field; perhaps none so desperately as the need for fire safety. As communities in Marshall County grew in population, naturally, business enterprises took hold, and buildings sprang up to accommodate them. People used the most plentiful and available material – wood – and built their buildings quickly.

In Plymouth, the original plat map from the 1830s designated lots for a business district. It began with Lot #1 (where the REES Theatre is located) and moved north up to Lot #21 and then crossed Michigan Street and started back south with Lot #22 and ran through Lot #42. Those lots were side-by-side, as were the buildings constructed on them. It is no surprise, then, that when one wooden structure went up in flames, fire spread quickly, sometimes aided by the wind. More than once, the whole business district was wiped out.

Welcoming Progress

At the time, there was little by way of fire protection. Business owners simply accepted that a fire, once out of control, would destroy their buildings and typically their contents as well. A devastating fire in 1857 that consumed most of the downtown businesses convinced Plymouth town leaders of the need for a volunteer organization of firefighters. In February 1958, the Protection Hook and Ladder Company was formed with a total membership of 57. A bucket brigade was organized as a part of the group. A two-story frame building was built on the Adams Street riverbank.

Two other fire companies were organized in December 1865, the Adriatic Engine Company and the Torrent Hose Company. The City Hall and Engine Building on Center Street was completed in 1875 and served the department for 95 years. The first engine was purchased sometime between 1863 and 1868 and required five or six men to a side, pumping up and down to produce a stream of water. The problem of a dependable source of water was solved when a series of brick-lined cisterns were constructed. The sprinkling wagon, used to keep dust down in the streets, was charged with keeping the cisterns full. The city waterworks, built in 1888, finally replaced the cisterns.

Changing Standards

As equipment was added, so were horses drawn vehicles. The station floor was designed with grooves in it to provide traction for the horses as they raced to answer the alarm. Equipment was sparse. The Wide Awake Hose Company #2 paid $160 in 1883 for a hose cart. In 1912 the city purchased its first motorized vehicle, a hose and chemical truck for $5,000. In addition, city officials added a Gamewell Fire Alarm System with 20 alarm boxes placed around the area.

At about this same time, the City of Plymouth began to pass ordinances meant to set standards for buildings to improve fire safety. Downtown businesses had to be built of brick with fire walls in between, and ceilings were to be metal or some other fireproof material. In 1896, an ordinance passed that any stove and pipe put up for use in any building must be set on a suitable platform covered with zinc or other metal, or on brick. Also, where the stove pipe entered a chimney, it must be securely fastened and the spaces around it “securely stopped with some non-combustible material.” The ordinance went on with specifications about ventilators, cleaning, riveted pipe joints and other details.

The ordinance even stated that ashes could not be collected in a wooden bucket or stored in a wooden barrel within 20 feet of any building. The fine for violation of the ordinance could cost up to $10. The city marshal or chief engineer was placed in charge of inspections with the power to enforce the ordinances. If a building owner failed to address an issue, the City would have it done and bill the owner, adding a $10 fine to the cost.

Upgrades and Preservation

Center Street looking North in Plymouth, Indiana.

Innovations continued to make the fire department more efficient and more professional for a growing city. In the 1950s, several retired businessmen and volunteer firefighters began taking turns driving the trucks, sleeping in a 2nd floor room across the alley from the fire station. In 1970, the department moved to the current building. Throughout the 1960s and ‘70s, the roster of full-time firefighters grew, and the department added a pumper with an 80-foot snorkel at a cost of $72,000. At that time, six pieces of equipment were manned by six full-time personnel and 20 volunteers.

Currently, the City of Plymouth is looking for ideas on how to best use the old fire station (and once city hall) on the corner of Washington and Center streets. If you have ideas for its preservation and continued use, pick up a Request for Proposal form in the city clerk’s office and submit your ideas.

The Marshall County Museum and Research Library’s normal hours are 10 a.m. – 4 p.m., Tuesday – Saturday. Stop in and see us!

Indiana Statehood

Indiana Statehood

by | Dec 11, 2025 | General History

On December 11, 1816, Indiana became the 19th state to join the Union. The journey to statehood was long with several hurdles along the way. In honor of Indiana’s 209th birthday, we retell the story of our state. Today, we are known for our demonym “Hoosier,” corn, the Indy 500, our sports teams and more. Our history, however, spans thousands of years, starting with Paleo-Indians who roamed the Americas, including present-day Indiana, around 8000 BC following the end of the Ice Age.

Prehistoric Era

Paleo-Indians were nomadic hunter-gatherers who used stone tools and hunted large game animals (you can learn about the Ice Age in our Prehistoric Animals book, available now in our store).  There is evidence of more permanent habitation around 5000 BC with earthen mounds that were used for habitats, ceremonies and temples. The Hopewell People around 1000 BC grew various crops, created pottery and engaged in trade. Between 1000 and 1450 AD, there was a Mississippian settlement near Evansville, Indiana on the Ohio River. They created complex mounds and earthworks that aligned with celestial events with incredible precision. You can visit this archaeological site today.

European Exploration

In the 17th century, French explorers reached present-day South Bend and traded with Native Americans for highly desired fur skins. French and French Canadians soon established trading posts, and some tried to control Native trade routes. When the British arrived, they also wanted control of the fur trade. The Natives sided with the French in these tensions and eventually went to war against the British. When the British won the French and Indian War in 1763, all French lands east of the Mississippi River and northwest of the colonies were ceded. The Crown proclaimed the land west of the Appalachians as “Indian Territory” and did not allow colonists to settle there, angering many people.

During the American Revolution, Congress passed a “Resolution on Public Lands” and allowed settlements west of the Appalachians with the intent to create new states. The United States gained its independence in 1783 with the signing of the Treaty of Paris. In 1787, present-day Indiana became part of the “Northwest Territory.” The Northwest Ordinance of 1787 gave this territory a government and a process to create states if they met certain stipulations. To apply for statehood, you had to have sixty thousand people or more, prohibit slavery and have a bill of rights, amongst other things. This land would eventually become Indiana, Ohio, Michigan, Wisconsin, and Illinois.

Expanding Settlements

In 1800, Congress divided the land again into the Northwest Territory, which would become Ohio three years later, and the rest was the Indiana Territory. The territories would be divided and changed many times as new states formed. The Indiana Territory was governed by William Henry Harrison, and its capital was Vincennes. In August 1804, Harrison called for an election to see if voters wanted a state government. By December, Harrison proclaimed that the Indiana Territory would have a General Assembly, moving it one step closer to statehood.

By 1809, the borders of our state were outlined with the formation of the Michigan and Illinois Territories. Ohio was still the only state that had formed from the original Northwest Territory, however. Becoming a state was controversial. Some people wanted to continue slavery, and some did not want the increased taxes and costs that came with statehood. It also meant leaders would be far away in Washington, making it difficult to communicate with them. Statehood slowly chugged along, and fighting between settlers and Natives continued.

Road to Statehood

In 1811, the Indiana General Assembly voted 4-3 to petition Congress for statehood. Congress denied their petition until the state’s population reached 35,000. Efforts were abandoned by the territory due to a lack of money and the beginning of the War of 1812. During this time, the territory’s capital was moved to Corydon because it was more central and less likely to be attacked by the Natives after the Battle of Tippecanoe.

The General Assembly petitioned for statehood yet again in 1815. With 63,000 people, we were above the minimum population. The only thing left was to form a constitution, which President Madison allowed by signing the Enabling Act in May 1816. The constitutional convention was led by Jonathon Jennings and continued through August, when Jennings himself was elected as the first governor of Indiana. While writing it, there were heated debates. Ultimately, the constitution did not allow for women or people of color to vote. It prohibited slavery within Indiana. It was also the first state to start a state-funded school system, which is now Indiana University. That November, we held our first General Assembly under the 1816 Constitution. Finally, on December 11, 1816, President Madison admitted Indiana into the Union as the 19th state!

For those curious, Indianapolis became our capital in 1825 after it was chosen and built in 1821 for its central location. Visit the Museum from 10:00 am until 4:00 pm, Tuesday through Saturday to learn about early Marshall County. The Museum is located at 123 N. Michigan St., Plymouth. Call us at 574-936-2306.