The Fire Museum is temporarily closed.
The Fire Museum is housed in the Ward Carriage House, which dates to 1860 and is an important landmark in Newark’s Black history. The Ward family home sat at 49 Washington Street, where Museum’s main building now stands. The Billings family, a family of free African Americans, lived in this carriage house for many years in the 19th century. Samuel Billings was the coachman to Marcus L. Ward, governor of New Jersey from 1866 to 1869. Notably, the Billings family traveled across the region performing live music for a wide range of audiences, crossing racial lines.
The Fire Museum tells the story of the challenges faced by firefighters in the 19th century and includes historic apparatus and equipment. Co-organized with the Newark Fire Department Historical Association, the Fire Museum celebrates the heroism of the city’s firefighters who risk their lives for the safety of others.