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FASNY Museum of Firefighting - Hudson, New York

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One of the things I enjoy doing is going to museums to learn about everything that New York State has to offer, especially when it comes to specific and unique subject matter. It just so happens that just outside the City of Hudson is one of America's premier firefighting museums, so I decided to make a visit. Dedicated in 1926, the FASNY Museum of Firefighting was formed as a result of an agreement signed by both the Firemen’s Association of the State of New York (or FASNY, for short) and the Exempt Firemen's Association of the City of New York in 1923. This resolution stated that if FASNY would construct a building suitable for a museum, then four antique fire engines would be donated to the museum by the Exempt Firemen’s Association of the City of New York. The original size of the museum was 2,600 square feet, but almost a century later, the FASNY Museum of Firefighting has grown to 50,000 square feet in size and features one of the largest collections of firefighting apparatus, equipment, gear and memorabilia in the entire world.

When you visit the museum, you will notice the plethora of fire trucks as soon as you walk in the door. Before you can check out the centuries of firefighting history and interactive activities for families of all sizes and ages, there is a short orientation video to watch that gives you a history of this family museum. A lot of the various firefighting equipment, banners, patches and vehicles around the museum have been kindly donated from fire departments throughout the Empire State as well.

The non-descript museum entrance.


The main gallery of the museum features lots of different fire trucks, plus plenty of banners and even a few interactive exhibits.

All about fire hydrants.




Banners and an old fire truck.


Patches from different fire departments.


The main gallery is pretty spacious. There's a few dozen fire trucks in this one room.
Another room at the museum is decided more to historical artifacts and the history of firefighting.

Ancient Romans were among the first firefighters.

Some old firefighting equipment.

Older firefighting equipment.

The history of firefighting in New York State is as old as New York itself.


Newsham Engine from 1731, which is New York State's oldest authenticated fire engine.




Modern firefighting jacket.

An old pumper cart.









Leather buckets.

Antique leather bucket truck.


Sources and Links:
FASNY Museum of Firefighting - FASNY Museum of Firefighting
FASNY Museum of Firefighting - Our History
Firemen's Association of the State of New York - History
FireDex - FASNY Museum of Firefighting 
Flickr/Doug Kerr - FASNY Museum of Firefighting (entire photo collection)

How to Get There:



Update Log
February 12, 2018 - Original article posted to Unlocking New York.
August 24, 2021 - Article transferred from Unlocking New York to Gribblenation.
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Location: 125 Harry Howard Ave, Hudson, NY 12534, USA

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