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This scene likely dates back to the early 20th century, a time when fire departments were beginning to transition from horse-drawn steam engines to motorized vehicles. Until the mid-19th century, most fire engines were hand-drawn by men. The introduction of horse-drawn fire engines greatly improved response times to fires1. However, due to resistance to change and other factors, motorized fire engines did not become commonplace in the American fire service until the early 20th century. The transition was driven by several factors, including the need for more water to fight bigger fires, which increased the weight of the fire engine and rendered horses ineffective for bigger engines2. By 1913, companies like Ahrens-Fox Manufacturing Company and Knox Automobile Company were leading the conversion from steam to gas-powered2. By 1925, steam pumpers had been completely replaced by motorized pumpers. This image is a wonderful tribute to that era of transformation in firefighting history. It...

I am a Mechanic Technologist turned photographer and digital artist. I specialize in restoring and colorizing old photos, as well as creating original digital art. I use photoshop to enhance the realism and beauty of my images, paying attention to skin tones and environmental details. My images can be printed on various products such as canvas, posters, towels, mugs, T-shirts, etc. My themes are very diverse, ranging from Hollywood stars to old cars, from rock stars to planes and trains. Restoring and coloring photographs makes me feel like I am traveling back in time and witnessing history firsthand.