1881Seagrave Company was founded in Detroit, Michigan. Frederic Seagrave, a carpenter and a paint maker, produced ladders of a truss design, which were studier than solid beam ladders. |
1891In order to gain venture capital and more manufacturing space, Seagrave moves to Columbus, Ohio and called it home for 70 years. (Original location was West Lane Avenue before relocating to 2000 S. High Street.) |
1902Seagrave introduces the spring raised aerial ladder to replace the muscle power of men turning large screws to raise the ladder. The rest of the industry followed their spring raised design. |
1915The Model K front-wheel drive tractor is introduced. This motorized apparatus replaced horse-drawn steam engines and ladder trucks into. |
1925Seagrave introduces the 350 GPM Suburbanite. This small and maneuverable pumping engine finds favor wherever the quality of the roads prohibits the use of larger and heavier apparatus. |
1932Seagrave’s V-12 engine replaces large 6-cylinder engines. Its additional torque and power enabled large volumes of water to be pumped while reducing the vibration. This was the first engine specifically designed for the fire service and remained in production for 38 years. |
1946The three-man cab is introduced by Seagrave. Firefighters no longer had to ride the running boards. |
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1959To meet the demand of some departments for cab forward apparatus, Seagrave returns to the cab forward style it pioneered and used exclusively from 1907-1911. |
1963Seagrave produces the “Eagle’ an aerial platform style ladder. The FWD Corporation acquires the Seagrave Corporation’s fire apparatus division. |
1963The Colombus Division of Seagrave Corporation is acquired by FWD. All operations were transferred to Clintonville, Wisconsin. |
