Howe

[Aaronw]

So down in the Fire Service General Discussion I mentioned a lack of Howe Fire Apparatus in the library.

 

 

As they say put up or shut up...

 

I can't do anything about getting a book on Howe published but maybe we can get the company a little attention here.

 

 

 

An abridged history taken from Walter McCall's American Fire Engine Manufacturers:

 

The Howe Engine Company was founded in Indianapolis, Indiana in 1872 building piston and rotary pumps including one powered by horses walking in a circle around the pumper. by 1900 Howe was building horse drawn, gasoline engine powered pumpers, and they built their first automotive piece of fire apparatus in 1907.

 

In 1917 the company moved to Anderson, Indiana and changed their name to the Howe Fire Apparatus Company. 

Howe received substantial contracts building fire apparatus for the US Military in both World Wars, building more than 100 during WW1 and nearly 1000 during WW2.

 

As a Midwest builder Howe decided it needed a gateway into the East and West coast markets which led to the company buying Oren of Virginia in 1961 and Coast in California in 1965. Howe remained a family owned business until Grumman purchased the company in 1976. Grumman continued to use the Howe name on apparatus built in the Anderson factory, until closing that facility in 1980. The name continued for a few more years in the old Oren factory, but was discontinued sometime in the early 1980s.