Blackduck Fire Department History
The Blackduck Volunteer Fire Department was organized in 1901, the same year the Village of Blackduck was incorporated. By 1903, a water tower and mains along the principal streets were completed, and a hose cart—pulled by firemen—was introduced. The bell was placed in the tower above the old city hall. That same year, the first fire ordinance was adopted by the
village council, restricting the use of stovepipes within the business district. In 1903, Articles of Incorporation for the Firemen’s Association were filed. That year, the community also faced a major threat when a forest fire from the southwest nearly destroyed the entire village. Again, in May 1904, another forest fire threatened Blackduck from the same direction. Special trains brought companies from Bemidji and Tenstrike to assist, and another train stood ready to evacuate the village if needed. Fortunately, the fire was brought under control late in the day near Stoner’s Lake. In those early years, the hose cart was pulled either by the firefighters themselves or by a team of horses owned by the town drayman. When the fire bell rang, the horses instinctively ran to the fire hall—even without their owner. Firefighters would then hitch the hose cart to the wagon and rush to the fire. Firemen’s Tournaments
Annual firefighting tournaments were a major event in the early 1900s. Departments from across northern Minnesota competed in ladder climbing, hook-and-ladder races, and water tests to see which team could get water flowing first. Blackduck often performed well, practicing regularly to sharpen their skills. In 1903, firemen even leveled Summit Avenue with picks and shovels to create a practice space, and later built a training track north of the school. In 1905, Blackduck hosted the Northern Minnesota Firemen’s Association Tournament. Contemporary newspaper reports called it the largest and most successful tournament ever held to that date, drawing the biggest crowd in Blackduck’s history. Special trains brought spectators from Walker and Bemidji, and three brass bands provided evening entertainment over the three-day event. The department raised $1,600 to host—an impressive amount for the era—through dances, home-talent plays, and operettas. Modernization
The department did not become mechanized until 1937, when a Chevrolet fire truck was purchased with firemen’s funds at no cost to the village. Remarkably, this truck remains in the department’s fleet today. In 1958, another truck was added, and in 1961, Blackduck signed fire protection contracts with the townships of Hines, Hornet, Langor, and Summit, as well as with the village of Tenstrike. A rural fire truck was purchased at that time to serve those areas. Since then, additional townships have contracted for service, and more firefighting equipment has been acquired. Fire Chiefs
Lewis F. Parker – first fire chief, instrumental in organizing the department
E.N. French – elected in 1902
J.M. Reed – elected in 1907
William A. Cross – 1908 to 1950 (42 years)
Herbert J. Lien – 1950 to 1969
Ben Bergin – 1969 to 1972
Ice Heieie – 1973
Melvin Gilstad – 1974 to 1976
Jim Wolden – 1977 to 1987
Larry Falk – acting chief, 1988 to 1992
Scott Palmer – 1993 to present
Rick Bogart -
Troy Gabrelcik -
Brian Larson -
Growth and Expansion
In 1992, a three-stall addition was built onto the fire hall. Two years later, a 1,250-gallon-per-minute pumper truck was purchased by the Rural Contract Association, followed by a 2,100-gallon tanker in 1998. Today, the fleet includes two pumper trucks, two tankers, the original 1937 truck, and a rescue vehicle funded by local donations. In February 1998, the department’s duties expanded to include vehicle extrication and rescue using the “Jaws of Life.”
Today
The Blackduck Fire Department now consists of 25 dedicated volunteers. The department provides fire protection to the City of Blackduck and 360 square miles of surrounding area, including three municipalities and ten townships.
