Fire marks are metal plaques that were attached to buildings to confirm that the building was insured against fire. The concept originated in London in the early 17th century, following the Great Fire of London in 1666.
The idea spread
to America in the 18th century, with the Philadelphia Contributionship for the
Insurance of Houses from Loss by Fire, founded by Benjamin Franklin in 1752,
using fire marks that often depicted a fire hose, fire bucket, or the company’s
emblem. Fire marks served to indicate that a property was insured, and that the insurance company had a vested interest in protecting it. The use of fire marks declined in the 19th century as municipal fire services became more common making them less necessary.
Today, fire marks are valued as historical artifacts, representing the early days of fire protection and insurance.
There are many fire mark reproductions on display at the Iowa FAIR Plan Association office in West Des Moines, Iowa. Theses fire marks were donated from two collections, one owned by Ted Lussem and the other by Robert Conroy.