Peabody Firefighting

The Peabody Fire Department was established in 1868, when the town changed its name from South Danvers to Peabody after one of its favorite sons: well-known philanthropist George Peabody. However, its long-standing history of being a first-class department

dates farther back to the purchase of the town’s first hand engine, the Federal No. 1, in 1800, and even farther back with the formation of bucket brigades and fire clubs. Peabody’s long history of being the leather capital of the world parallels the fire department’s history, because many of the department’s members worked in the leather factories or were leather shop owners. These same leather factories were fodder for many general alarm fires. Peabody Firefighting features photographs and narratives that showcase the history and evolution of the Peabody Fire Department, a department that today is as rich in diversity and tradition as ever and continues to answer the call of duty to a multitude of emergencies.