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The Texas Fire Museum is housed in the old Dallas Fire
Department's Maintenance Facility at 2600 Chalk Hill Road in West
Dallas. Construction of this facility began in 1960, and it was
completed by June 1961. This newly-constructed building was the Dallas Fire Department’s first facility
dedicated to the service, repair, and commission of active fire
apparatus. The 125,000 square foot complex was used until 1987,
when the maintenance shop moved to a new facility in East
Dallas. The old Chalk Hill facility was left vacant until 1999,
when the Texas Fire Museum acquired the rights to restore and
use the facility. In February, 2000, the Texas Fire Museum began
the restoration and clean up process to turn the old
maintenance facility into a museum and apparatus restoration
center. From its humble beginning with thirteen volunteers, the
museum has grown into an organization with over 175 members.
Our members have documented well over 25,000 volunteer labor
hours cleaning, restoring, and maintaining the museum.
Today, the Texas Fire Museum is a successful organization dedicated to the preservation and
display of antique fire apparatus and the education of the
public on the history of the Fire Service. (Read more
about our Museum's story by clicking here ...) Our facility offers
many amenities that are still considered state-of-art for any
active fire maintenance service center. Some of these amenities
include a 1,500 square foot apparatus paint booth; an indoor pump
test room with a 25,000-gallon below ground cistern; a heavy-duty overhead crane; hoists; and compressed air stations
throughout the facility. Since this building was originally
designed to maintain fire apparatus, it now serves as an
ideal place to display, preserve, and restore antique fire
apparatus. We also have a full kitchen and a dormitory for any
overnight stays. Although the accommodations are modest,
this has been popular with scout groups and the
occasional traveling guest.
While at the Texas
Fire Museum, visitors can also tour Dallas Fire-Rescue Station
16. Our museum site actually surrounds this active fire
station with a shared, common parking area between the two
buildings. The fire station was built at the same time the old
maintenance facility was constructed.
You can read more about
Station 16 and
Dallas
Fire-Rescue by navigating the browser links provided. |
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Under IRS Code 501(c)(3), a non-profit corporation may be formed
to operate for some religious, charitable, educational,
literary, or scientific purpose. These five purposes are usually
included as purposes accepted by the individual states as a
valid non-profit corporate purpose.
Donations of money, goods,
or services to a 501(c)(3) organization are deductible to the
donor for tax purposes as a "charitable contribution".
The Texas Fire Museum is a
valid, recognized 501(c)(3) organization that has been certified
by the IRS. All donations made to the Texas Fire Museum are tax
deductible. All donations, if accepted by the museum, will be
acknowledged by a receipt or letter of donation from the museum.
This documentation can be used to support a donor's deduction on
his/her tax return. |
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Many of the apparatus that are on display
at the Texas Fire Museum are privately owned by museum members.
Subject to space availability, members may store their apparatus
at the museum. Various types of storage are available, including:
Indoor Museum Storage
Covered Storage - Apparatus
parked in a stall of a covered shed behind the museum.
Outdoor Storage - Apparatus
parked in open parking lot behind the museum.
Storage fees are billed
quarterly. |
