In 1942, a student-run volunteer fire department was formed at Bard College. The Bard College Fire Brigade (later called simply the Bard College Fire Department) became a central campus organization when founder George Blackstone returned from military service in 1946. Intended to protect the Bard community and to provide student members with fire fighting skills, the company fought fires as far away as Rhinecliff and Clermont during its active years. As years passed, however, leadership faltered. Suffering from lack of funds and dwindling membership, President Kline closed the department on May 3, 1960.
Scope of Collection
The photographs in this collection document the existence of Bard College's student-run fire department. It includes photographs of students who participated in the fire department and of their equipment.
