
This Ladder Truck is very rare, purchased and ordered July 3, 1919 by the Virginia , Minnesota Fire Department. (See Purchase Order) Rare because this truck is believed to be one of only 3 built with the rear Tiller Bucket and Steering Wheel being outside the main ladder bay, over the right rear wheel well, instead of on top in the center of the ladder bed. This makes it impossible for the driver sitting in this Tiller Bucket Seat to see anything on the left side of he vehicle while moving.
Soon after these 3 vehicles were placed into service, the design changed, and has remained up until present with Fire Ladder Trucks having the Rear Tiller Bucket and Steering Wheel directly in the center of the vehicle, over the rear of the ladder bed. This vehicle is somewhat unusual as it is not an articulating vehicle, or semi-truck-trailer, but still has the rear driver. Few Straight Chassis Fire Vehicles were built with the rear drivers position provided. The rear overhang of ladders extends 16 ft. past the rear axle.
The Chassis was built by Winther Motor Trucks of Kenosha Wisconsin, and the Fire Works was added by Peter Pirsch and Sons Fire Apparatus also of Kenosha Wisconsin. First operating within the Virginia, Minnesota Fire Dept. as their first ladder truck. After about 12 years, this vehicle was sold to Northfield Fire Dept. also of Minnesota. Following use for several years, and both Fire Departments realizing the dangers of driving this vehicle without proper vision by the rear drive, the vehicle was purchased by Harrah’s Car Collection and moved to the Museum in Reno, Nevada. During the filming of the Bonanza TV Series, the 1919 Ladder Truck was purchased, and moved to the Ponderosa Ranch, and possibly used for the filming of the Bonanza TV Series.
In 2016 the Ladder Truck was donated along with several other vehicles to the California Fire Museum and Safety Learning Center. Upon delivery of this vehicle to our Shop Facility, it was determined that almost every single item on the Purchase Order document, is still on the vehicle.