A fireman’s parade on Exchange Street

Opens March 8, 2025.

Fire companies and fire protection have existed in Geneva at least since its 1816 establishment as a village. From the days when homeowners were required to respond to fires with their mandated buckets, to the modern department’s focus on code enforcement and high tech equipment, Geneva’s fire department has safeguarded community lives and property for 200 years. This exhibit examines the history of Geneva’s fire companies, past and present, significant fires in the city’s past, and the ways firefighting has changed over the decades.

We Didn’t Start the Fire: Firefighting in Geneva will be up through May 2025.