Rosehill Cemetery [Volunteer Firefighters Monument - by Leonard W. Volk]

 

Volunteer Firefighters Monument - by Leonard W. Volk

Erected in 1864 by the Firemens Benevolent Association

Rededicated October 7, 1979, Chicago Firefighters' Union

Location: Rosehill Cemetery

5800 North Ravenswood Avenue, Chicago, IL 60660.

A vigilant fireman stands atop a tall column, with a megaphone in his left hand. The base of the column is wrapped with coiled fire hose. The marble monument commemorates the 15 members of Chicago's volunteers fire brigate who are buried on the plot.. The granite marker at the base contains the names of all firefighters killed in the line of duty. Four old-style hydrants make up the corners of this memorial.

The funeral scene in the movie Backdraft. was filmed using a replica of this monument.

Marble figure of a fireman with a megaphone

 in his left hand tops a Doric column.

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The memorial was erected by the Firemen's Benevolent Association six years after the city disbanded the volunteer companies and replaced by paid fire departments in 1958.

There are four relief panels. 

Three of the four relief panels show hand-pumped fire engines.

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The fourth relief panel in front of the memorial, depicts a fire-fighting scene.

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This monument was erected in 1864

to honor all the courageous 

Volunteer Firefighters of Chicago

Rededicated October 7, 1979

Chicago Firefighters Union No.2

The granite marker lists the 15 firefighters that were placed at the base.

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Fireman's Hat

Four limestone facsimiles of wooden fire pumps topped 

with fireman's hat mark the four corners at the base.