Boston (MA) Fire Department (BFD) Commissioner Paul Burke spoke to the incoming class of BFD cadets at the Boston Athenaeum before touring the Athenaeum’s ongoing exhibit, “Revisiting the Ruins: The Great Boston Fire of 1872.”
Joined by Boston Atheneum Director Leah Rosovsky and Associate Curator Christina Michelon, PhD, BFD representatives toured the prints, photographs, and written accounts that documented the aftermath and romanticization of the fire that ravaged Boston’s central commercial district.
Remarks by Commissioner Burke discussed the history of the Boston Fire Department and examples of how modern-day aspects of today’s agency play tribute to the heroes who battled the historic fire. For example, the current Boston City Fire Boat, the “John S. Darnell,” is named after the Boston Fire Department Commissioner who successfully extinguished the fire in 1872.
The Boston Athenaeum’s exhibit, “Revisiting the Ruins,” is open until July 29th and accessible to the public with a $10 visitor admission, or free with membership. More information is available on the Boston Athenaeum website.
