Western Springs' local newspaper, *The Doings*, recently published a fascinating article under the "Blast from the Past" section, featuring a detailed look at the history of the first motorized fire engine owned by the Western Springs Fire Department. The piece includes several vintage photos and tells the story of a 1941 FWD fire truck that has now been acquired by a private collector who plans to bring it back to its original condition.
WESTERN SPRINGS – Just days before the attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941, the Western Springs Fire Department received a groundbreaking piece of equipment: a revolutionary fire engine that was years ahead of its time. However, for many years, this historic vehicle sat neglected on an Iowa farm, slowly deteriorating over time.
Before this milestone, the department had only used a basic hose reel, which had to be manually pulled to each fire scene. In 1924, they upgraded to an International/Buffalo pumper, which served them well for decades. But by 1940, the village had grown significantly, prompting the need for a more advanced second fire engine.
Rather than settling for a standard model, Fire Chief Waldo Erickson took a bold approach. He and his team designed the ideal apparatus from scratch, creating a set of specifications that were truly ahead of their time. The new engine would feature enclosed storage compartments for ladders, an enclosed cab capable of holding three firefighters (a rarity at the time), and a four-wheel drive system. It also had a powerful pump that could move 750 gallons per minute and was painted white for better visibility.
Ten companies submitted bids, but the winning proposal came from FWD Auto Company in Clintonville, Wisconsin, for $9,203—equivalent to about $150,000 today. The engine arrived in late November 1941, just days before the U.S. entered World War II. If the village had delayed the order, delivery might have been pushed back until 1946.
In the 1950s, as the population grew, Western Springs added a 1952 Ward-LaFrance pumper, which became a familiar sight during the Memorial Day parade. By 1967, a third engine was added, and the 1941 FWD was eventually retired in 1968, replaced by a newer FWD model.
Its whereabouts after retirement remained unknown until 2012, when it appeared for sale on eBay in Iowa. Though it had been repainted red at some point, the engine was in poor condition. After a story about its fate was shared online by the Western Springs Historical Society, a man from St. Louis reached out, obtained the owner's contact information, and purchased the 71-year-old truck.
He has since moved it to St. Louis, where he plans to restore it exactly as it was when it first arrived in 1941. The restoration is expected to take a long time, possibly years, but this rare piece of firefighting history has finally found a new home—and a chance to shine once again.
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