The Frederick County Fire & Rescue Museum Is open for the season.

The Frederick County Fire & Rescue Museum located at 300B South Seton Av. in Emmitsburg, just north of the National Fire Academy, will open for the 2026 museum season on April 11, 2026.

We are very appreciative the Gladhill family has allowed the display of the beautiful, fully restored 1919 Ahrens-Fox owned by the Gladhill family and is now “in service” at the Frederick County Fire & Rescue Museum, 300B South Seton Avenue in Emmitsburg. The engine was originally purchased by the city of Frederick for the United Steam Fire Engine Co. No. 3 and remained in service until the 1950’s. According the Maurice Gladhill, son of Bernard “Buck” Gladhill, his father purchased the engine around 1954 for $501. Mr. Gladhill advised his dad outbid Gastley Junk Company by $1 to get the engine. “Gastley bid $500 for the engine and dad but $501, $1 saved the Fox from the junk yard.” According to Mr. Gladhill, two other “Foxes”, the 1927 ladder truck and a Juniors engine met their fate at Gastley’s.

Other artifacts on display include display include the "Junior Defender" uniformed manikin and the historic original "tin type' of an actual "Junior Defender. The "Junior Defenders" were a militia unit of the Junior Fire Co. No. 2 that was dispatched to Harper's Ferry to help quell John Brown's Raid. Information about three militia units, including the "Independent Rifles" and "United Guard" is on display in the museum.

Also, on display from the Junior Fire Co. No. 2 is the restored Silsby hand drawn hose reel believed to be the original hose reel for the Juniors 1876 Silsby steam pumper, the first steam pumper in Frederick. Early fire apparatus on displays include "Romeo" the beautiful 1893 Independent Hose Co. NO. 1 hose carriage, the circa 1848 hand pumper "Old Lady" used by both the United Fire Company and Libertytown, and the fully restored Badger chemical engine of the Jefferson Volunteer Fire Company. Another piece of motorized equipment displayed is Willy's Jeep formerly owned by the Lewistown District Volunteer Fire Department.

This year, the museum will also be displaying the homemade hose cart of the Vigilant Hose Company. This unique piece of equipment was built in Emmitsburg and used as early fire protection prior to the organization of the Vigilant Hose Company. The cart carries a leather riveted hose, a very early means of firefighting. The museum also features a memorial display honoring all the fire and rescue personnel in Frederick County that have died in the line of duty with individual pictures and a brief description of each fallen hero.

The Frederick County Fire & Rescue Museum has free admission and staffed by local fire & rescue volunteers. The museum will open for the 2026 season at 12 noon on April 11, 2026 and will be open most weekends until the end of September open from 12-4 each Saturday and Sunday. For more information go to www.frederickmdfiremuseum.org .