Rare c1880 Set 7 Cabinet Card Photos Fire Department Firemen South Bend Indiana For Sale

This rare 7 cabinet card set is perfect for those who collect Midwest fire department memorabilia from the late 1800s. Every one of these cabinet cards depict a fireman from South Bend, Indiana, and six out of seven of them are identified.

Approximate size for each cabinet card: 6.5 inches x 4.25 inches

Notice the excellent condition of these cabinet cards, especially for their age. The images are crisp and clear, and you can get a sense for who these service men were, ones who kept the people of South Bend, Indiana safe from fires. These photos were taken approximately 15 years after the town was officially established as a city. The photographer was McDonald, as well as Bonny and Wallace, taken at their ground floor gallery studio at 122 North Michigan Street in South Bend, Indiana.
The following is what is identified on the back, as best I could read it, along with which cabinet card it is (orientation based on the main listing image). It is of their names and even their position on the fire truck.

Top left: J.S. Kenier Foreman Chemical

Top right: Varibuskirk Driver No. 1

Middle center: Oscar Stallard Driver No. 3

Middle right: Dave Whilirer Driver No. 2

Bottom left: Stusser Foreman

Bottom right (the younger looking man): Alex Giller Ladderman

It\'s uncommon to have cabinet cards that are identified, but especially rare to have them identified along with their position on the truck. When you combine that with the identifiable city they\'re from and the clear photos of them in uniform, it makes for the perfect set to add to your collection.

South Bend is a city in and the county seat of St. Joseph County, Indiana, United States, on the St. Joseph River near its southernmost bend, from which it derives its name. It is the fourth-largest city in Indiana. The city is located just south of Indiana\'s border with Michigan.

The area was settled in the early 19th century by fur traders and was established as a city in 1865. The St. Joseph River shaped South Bend\'s economy through the mid-20th century. River access assisted heavy industrial development such as that of the Studebaker Corporation, the Oliver Chilled Plow Company, and other large corporations.

The first and second reference photos are of a newspaper clipping in theThe Meridional (Abbeville, La.), November 13, 1897. The article is actually an advertisement for Dr. Miles\' Nervine Elixir as a testimonial from the chief of the South Bend Indiana fire department, W.M. Baker. The testimonial is a fascinating glimpse of the times. It\'s plausible that W.M. Baker was the Fire Chief while some of the men pictured in these cabinet cards were still firemen.

The third reference photo is of a newspaper clipping in theSouth Bend news-times (South Bend, Ind.), March 5, 1914.

The fourth reference photo is of a newspaper clipping in The recorder (Indianapolis, Ind.), December 1, 1900. It\'s plausible that some of the firemen shown in the listing fought this particular fire.

This listing will have tracking, and it will have to be signed for upon arrival.

Please inspect the pictures, as they give the best representation of condition. Although this set is in great condition, there are signs of general wear and use that is in-line with being around 140 years old. A few of the corners are a bit blunted.

(C114-C120 inventory number)

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