1911 Kissel Fire Engine
Chaffee County
On September 27, 1912, after fires had twice destroyed downtown Salida, City Council approved the purchase of their first motorized fire engine, a 1911 Kissel fire truck, which cost $5,300 and functioned rather like a large, fire extinguisher expelling carbon dioxide created by a mix of acid and alkaline water.
1911 Kissell Fire Engine
Fourteen years later, the fire engine was converted to a Waterous pump, the system used on modern fire apparatuses today. Today, this historic vehicle is intact but needs engine work and body restoration to be drivable. With funding from the State Historical Fund, the City of Salida will restore the engine to its 1926 state so that Salidans and visitors will once again be able to enjoy this unique, rare piece of history at parades and many other community events.