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1918 Ford Model TT Howe Pumper
This 1918 Ford Model TT Howe fire truck was on scene for the first recorded fires in the City of Midlothian. We are the original owner of this historic fire truck which is believed to be one of only four remaining in the country. Following 50 years of service, the fire truck was retired only making a cameo appearance for the occasional parade. The historic truck fell into a state of rapid deterioration during retirement and spent the last several years in a storage shed in Proffitt Industrial Park. In 2004 the Historic Advisory Board launched a fundraiser to restore the historic truck to its original state as a way to preserve a piece of the City's history.
In 2008, the City Council approved funding of this project with monies coming from the Environmental Mitigation Permit Fee (a fund paid by the gas drilling industry for open-loop systems and kiosk sign leases). Other funds came from citizen and industry donations and a grant was received from the Midlothian Community Development Corporation.