On this day in history, the Milwaukee Fire Department commemorated the launch of the storied fireboat AUGUST F. JANSSEN, named in honor of a fallen hero. Constructed by Rieboldt & Wolter at Sturgeon Bay, the vessel was a testament to local craftsmanship, boasting materials of such quality that not even a single graving piece was found necessary, according to a social media post from the Milwaukee Fire Department.
The cost of the JANSSEN was rounded up to nearly $33,000, with contributions from various regional firms, including the engineering works and boiler suppliers who outfitted her with the machinery necessary to fulfill her civic duty, as detailed in historical records. Featuring a Wisconsin white oak body sheathed in steel and powered by formidable engines, the boat was celebrated for its strength and innovative design conducive to ice breaking with a spoon-shaped bow. The Milwaukee Fire Department's retrospective reveals a keen pride in the vessel's capabilities and symbolic meaning.
The christening of the fireboat was a significant city event witnessed by Milwaukee's dignitaries who descended upon Sturgeon Bay by train, the procession recorded in the Milwaukee Sentinel from the same era, which recounts the precise moment the JANSSEN entered the waters "Without a hitch the craft slid into the bay like an eel, her stern sinking deep into the water, driving a mass of foam and waves before it." only to then settle "it floated with the grace of a swan" Upon launch, the JANSSEN served as a sentinel for the city, protecting Milwaukee's shores and citizens from the ever-looming threat of fire, as per the Milwaukee Fire Department post.
The vessel's legacy continued well beyond its years of active service, having been discovered by divers in 2005 sitting upright in Lake Michigan's depths, this discovery weaving the JANSSEN firmly into the historical tapestry of Milwaukee's maritime past, the Wisconsin Marine Historical Society in partnership with the Milwaukee Public Library's Great Lakes Marine Collection maintains an archive of photographs and stories celebrating such vessels that reveal a past intertwined with bravery and civic duty, those interested are encouraged to delve into this legacy at an upcoming library event.
For those drawn to the romance of maritime history, Jim Heinz will peel back the layers of Milwaukee's fireboats narrative at the city's Central Library on November 17. The event, free to the public, promises insights into the vessels like the AUGUST F. JANSSEN, their contribution to the city, and their eventual transformation into relics beneath the waves, as per the Milwaukee Fire Department post.
