Seaside No. 1 Engine House

Seaside No. 1, owned by the Town of Manchester-by-the-Sea with artifacts maintained by the Manchester-by-the-Sea Museum, stands as a representative of Manchester's fire-fighting history, providing an exhibition of the town's historical commitment to public safety with the inclusion of two historic fire engines.

​

In nineteenth century Manchester, fire was greatly feared. In 1808, in order to quell fears and ensure safety, the town passed a by-law which forbade outdoor burning, day and night, with a steep 300 dollar fine for violators, which is equivalent to over 7,900 dollars in 2026. The fear citizens held towards fires was warranted as there was no organized network to put them out once they started, and there existed a custom of each householder to keep leather buckets in the hall of the house in case of emergency. In 1828, as a first step towards organized fire extinguishing, the town voted to purchase its first engine, the “Eagle”, which volunteers would pull to fires with ropes. This was the beginning of the Manchester Fire Department. ​

 

A local inventor and furniture manufacturer, Colonel Eben Tappan, created a more efficient fire engine, which he loaned to the town in 1832. The “Torrent” was a "hand tub," meaning it was pulled by hand to a fire, where water was sprayed on the blaze through a hose. This was more effective compared to the previous “Eagle”, which relied on a bucket brigade. After serving in the great fire of 1836 on Central Street (which started in the furniture factory of John Perry Allen, at the site of today's Seaside No. 1), the town found the “Torrent” so useful that it bought the machine from Col. Tappan.

 

Manchester began to maintain a dedicated fire station in the 1880s, starting with Seaside No. 1.  The site of the burned Allen and later Rust & Marshall mills (which also burned down) was acquired by the town following the latter's destructive fire and, in 1885, it constructed Seaside No. 1 to store the town’s new horse-drawn fire engine of that same name.  The tall tower was used to store and dry heavy canvas fire hoses after each use, which was essential for keeping the equipment in good condition. The second floor served as a meeting room for firefighters and as a storage area for gear.

 

Rapid advancements in firefighting technology, however, quickly made this building design outdated and brought forth more efficient equipment.  The department acquired a new, larger fire station on School St. in 1892 and the horse-drawn steamer "Seaside No. 2" built in 1902 (at Manchester, New Hampshire).  When the alarm sounded, the firebox on the steamer was ignited, and two strong horses named Tom and Jerry, stabled near Elm Street, were quickly harnessed to the steamer. It then sped off with a bell ringing near the driver’s foot and a kerosene lamp warning other wagons that the engine was on its way. Upon arriving at the fire, the boiler’s powerful steam propelled the firehose water up to 175 feet!

 

With motorization and electrification, the Manchester Fire Department continued to grow, and more sophisticated technology was used to keep the town safe from fire.  The 1892 station on School St., with alteration, served the town until it was town down in 1974; it was replaced with the present-day fire station in 1975.

 

After its retirement as a fire house, Seaside No. 1 became the town police station and remained at the center of the town’s public safety until 1970, when the police moved into the new town hall. Seaside No. 1 was then preserved as a museum restored for the 350th anniversary of Manchester in 1995. The building today shares the evolution of the town’s firefighting and police forces through the display of historical artifacts, including the historic hand tub “Torrent” and the “Seaside No. 2” steamer.

​

For further reading:

- Cicala, Em, and Matthew Swindell. "The Rise of Manchester's Fire Department and the Heroism of the Torrent," Manchester-by-the-Sea Museum, 2026.

- Floyd, Frank L. Manchester-by-the-Sea. Massachusetts: Floyd's New Store, 1945, pp. 132–140.

- Lamson, Rev. D.F. History of the Town of Manchester, 1645–1895. Published by the Town, 1895,

- O’Malley, Joseph. “Fire Department.” In Manchester-by-the-Sea, 1645–1995, edited by Gordon Abbott Jr., Manchester-by-the-Sea, MA.