Fred Grier collection

4 boxes, 1 overize box (9 linear feet)

(1879 – 1972)

Edward H. Nabb Center for Delmarva History and Culture, Salisbury, University, Salisbury, Maryland

Identifier	1996.016
Creator(s)	Grier, Fred
Acquisition	These papers were the property of Fred A. Grier. Richard W. Cooper added to their content and donated them to the Edward H. Nabb Research Center in 1996.
Language(s)	English
Use	Records are open for research. Copyright, including literary rights, belongs to the author(s) or their legal heirs. Permission to publish or reproduce must be obtained from the Nabb Research Center which extends beyond "fair use."
Preferred Citation	"Item, collection title and identifier, box # and folder # (if applicable), Edward H. Nabb Research Center for Delmarva History and Culture, Salisbury University, Salisbury, Maryland."
Attribution	Finding aid written by Simone Myree, 2007.
Related Materials	None
Separated Materials	See Nabb Center Staff

Abstract

This collection contains photographs, news clippings, invoices, correspondence, minutes and a variety of material related to the Salisbury Fire Department, its origins, activities, and role in the city of Salisbury, Maryland. Also of interest in the collection is a series dedicated to disasters and emergencies such as railroad derailments and industrial explosions. Much of the collection is devoted to photographs of fires and disasters which have occurred in and around Salisbury, Maryland since the early part of the 20th century. This collection provides a unique look at the growth of a municipal government agency, transportation, and technology as well as living and working conditions.

Biographical History

Fred A. Grier, Jr., (1883-1971), was the son of Fred A. Grier, a machinist from Wilmington, Delaware, and Maggie T. Grier. He was married to Mamie Gillis Grier and served as a prominent member of the Salisbury, Maryland community as the city's Fire Marshall, and a member of the Salisbury Fire Department whereby he established standards for equipment needs, training, and removal of fire hazards throughout the city.

Scope and Content Note

Series I. Salisbury Fire Department, 1879 - 1972, This series contains a copy of the Salisbury Fire Department constitution, invoices, correspondence from and to the Fire Marshall, Fred Grier, articles relating to its history and activities, meeting minutes and recommendations. It also contains photographs of equipment, buildings and personnel and documents fire prevention week. Another highlight of the series is the Salisbury Fire Department 20 year club.

Series II. Disasters, 1909-1960, This series contains photos and a limited number of news clippings covering such disasters as railroad derailments, winter storms and explosions.

Series III. Fred Grier, 1915 - 1960, This series contains items of personal interest to Fred Grier including his friendship with Howard Riggin, his personal fire journals and items related to railroads.

Series IV. News clippings, 1943 – 1950, This series contains news clippings documenting the activities of the Salisbury Fire Department including Fire Prevention Week and the fire departments of other area municipalities. Clippings also cover fires occurring throughout the region as well as general happenings in city government and other miscellaneous activities.

Series V. Photographs, 1899 - 1961, This series contains photographs organized by subject and date. Some photographs correspond to the news clippings found in Series IV. Most of the photographs in this series are of fires in progress or the result of fires once extinguished.

Arrangement Statement See Nabb Center Staff

Subject Terms

Topical Terms
- Transportation
Corporate Names
- Salisbury Fire Department
Personal Names
- Grier, Fred A., Jr. (1883-1971)

Inventory List

The inventory list for this item is hidden due to its length. Click the button below to view it.

Series I. Salisbury Fire Department

1 | 1 20 year club nd

1 | 2 20 year club 1940 – 1950

5 | na 76th Anniversary of the department 1948

5 | na Certificate to Fire Companies of Wilmington, DE from the City of Salisbury

“Card of Thanks” for help with the Salisbury Fire of 1886 December 1886

1 | 3 Building photos, exterior 1941 - 1964

1 | 4 Constitution 1896

1 | 5 Correspondence 1939 - 1957

1 | 6 Equipment, photos nd

1 | 7 Equipment, photos 1897 – 1908

4 | 1 Equipment, photos 1919, circa 1928

1 | 8 Equipment, photos 1914 - 1928

1 | 9 Equipment, photos 1930 - 1947

1 | 10 Equipment, photos 1948 – 1961

1 | 11 Fire boat manuscript 1957

1 | 12 Fire boat published article 1957

1 | 13 Fire boat (Fred Grier), photos nd - 1951

1 | 14 Fire boat (Fred Grier), photos 1951- 1953

1 | 15 Fire boat (Lloyd), photos 1943

1 | 16 Fire boat (Lloyd), photos 1943

1 | 17 Fire boat news clippings 1943 – 1954

4 | 2 Fire boat news clippings nd, 1952

1 | 18 Fire prevention week, photos nd – 1951

1 | 19 Fire prevention week, photos 1955 – 1962

1 | 19a Fire prevention week, photos 1959

1 | 20 History manuscript and notes nd

1 | 21 Invoices 1948

1 | 22 Letterhead nd

1 | 23 Marine Division 1947, 1955

1 | 24 Meeting Minutes, Transcribed 1879 - 1881

1 | 25 Meeting Minutes, Original 1879 – 1881

1 | 25a Notes from Meeting Minutes 1884 – 1898, 1947

1 | 26 Operational recommendations 1948

4 | 3 Personnel Photo 1917

1 | 27 Personnel Photos c.1910 – 1941

1 | 28 Printed material 1959, 1967

1 | 29A Miscellaneous 1951, 1972

Series II. Disasters

1 | 30 Boiler Explosion, Mardela, Maryland 1916

4 | 4 Boiler Explosion, Mardela, Maryland 1916

4 | 6 Boiler Explosion, Mardela, Maryland 1916

1 | 31 Boiler Explosion, Salisbury Ice Plant, Salisbury, Maryland 1912

1 | 32 Boiler Explosion, Salisbury Ice Plant, Salisbury, Maryland 1912

4 | 7 Boiler Explosion, Saw Mill, Wicomico County, Maryland 1912

1 | 33 Railroad derailment, Fruitland, Maryland 1909

1 | 34 Railroad derailment, Laurel, Delaware 1904

4 | 5 Railroad derailment, Laurel, 1904

1 | 35 Railroad derailment, location unknown nd

2 | 1 Winter storms nd

2 | 2 Winter storms 1959

2 | 3 Winter storms 1960

Series III. Fred Grier

2 | 4 Howard Riggin c.1962 - 1973

2 | 4A Miscellaneous photographs 1941, 1955

2 | 5 Notes and diagrams nd

2 | 6 Planning commission 1941 - 1943

2 | 7 Personal fire journal 1916 - 1919

2 | 8 Personal fire journal 1919 - 1923

2 | 9 Personal fire journal 1958 - 1960

2 | 10 Railroad periodicals and photographs 1915 - 1946

2 | 11 Railroad periodicals 1952

Series IV. News clippings

2 | 11A General nd – 1943

2 | 11B Fires nd - 1944

2 | 12 Fires 1945

2 | 13 Fire Department 1945

2 | 13A General 1945

2 | 14 Fires 1946

2 | 15 Fire Department 1946

2 | 16 General 1946

2 | 17 Fires 1947

2 | 18 Fire Department 1947

2 | 19 General 1947

2 | 20 Fires 1948

2 | 21 Fire Department 1948

2 | 22 General 1948

2 | 23 Fires 1949

2 | 24 Fire Department 1949

2 | 25 General 1949

2 | 26 Fires 1950

2 | 27 Fire Department 1950

2 | 28 General 1950

Series V. Photographs

3 | 1 Area Fire Departments 1920 – 1941

3 | 2 Boats 1904 – 1920

4 | 8 Boats 1904

4 | 9 Boats 1908

3 | 3 Bounds Company Fire 1941

3 | 4 Bounds Company Fire 1941

3 | 5 Construction 1923 - 1959

3 | 6 Disharoon Mill Fire 1929

3 | 7 Eastern Shore Baking Company Fire 1933

3 | 8 Fire Hazards 1950

3 | 9 General Photographs nd

3 | 10 General Photographs nd

3 | 11 General Photographs 1899 - 1915

3 | 12 General Photographs c. 1920’s

3 | 12A General Photographs

3 | 13 General Photographs 1930’s

3 | 14 General Photographs 1940’s

3 | 15 General Photographs 1950 – 1959

3 | 16 General Photographs 1950 – 1959

3 | 17 General Photographs 1950 – 1959

3 | 18 General Photographs 1950 – 1959

3 | 19 General Photographs 1950 – 1959

3 | 20 General Photographs 1950 – 1959

3 | 21 General Photographs 1950 – 1959

3 | 22 General Photographs 1960

3 | 23 General Photographs 1961

3 | 24 General Photographs 1962 – 1963

3 | 25 Infrastructure 1914 – 1959

3 | 26 Ocean City Firemen’s Convention 1960

Artifacts

See Nabb Center Staff

Attachments

None

Permalink: https://libapps.salisbury.edu/nabb-archives/local-history-archives/1996.016