Gamewell Alarm Systems in Michigan

[Box 2565]

Per the 1941 Gamewell Company listing.  
 
Does anyone out there have any of the following information?  Which towns still use their street box system?  How many boxes are in the system and are gongs still used in the fire houses?  
   
If the system has been removed, can you give the approximate date when the system was discontinued?  What became of the fire alarm boxes, registers, and gongs?  Are any of these items still owned by the town where they could potentially be sold to collectors?  

Michigan

Adrian
Alma
Battle Creek
Bay City
Berkeley
Bessemer
Big Rapids
Cadillac
Calumet Township
Caro
Caspian
Clawson
Crystal Falls
Dearborn
Detroit
Dowagiac
Ecorse
Escanaba
Essexville
Ferndale
Flint
Gladstone
Grand Haven
Grand Rapids
Grosse Pointe Village
Grosse Pointe Farms
Grosse Pointe Park
Hamtramck
Hancock
Harbor Beach
Highland Park
Holland
Houghton
Howell
Ionia
Iron Mountain
Ishpeming
Ironwood
Iron River
Jackson
Kalamazoo
Lansing
Lincoln Park
Ludington
Manistee
Marquette
Melvindale
Menominee
Monroe
Mount Clemens
Mount Pleasant
Muskegon
Muskegon Heights
Negaunee
Norway
Ostego
Owosso
Petosky
Pontiac
Port Huron
Reed City
River Rouge
Royal Oak
Saginaw
St Clair
Sault Ste Marie
South Haven
Stambaugh
Sturgis
Traverse City
Trenton
Wakefield
Wyandotte

[Box 2565]

From an email received from Loresa Mathias (mathiasl@kalamazoocity.org).

The Gamewell system was replaced in 1958 by the Michigan Bell Emergency Voice Communication System.  That system was dismantled in 1982.  It was rented from Bell Telephone and quite expensive.  There were also cases of kids making costly false alarm calls.  However, there is still a call box on the exterior of each station for individuals to use in case it is unmanned during an emergency.
 
Loresa Mathias
Office of the Communications Coordinator

[Box 2565]

Grand Rapids has removed most of the boxes from there system.  A street box is still located at each fire station and at some high hazard locations.

The GRFD was kind enough to send me a photo of one of their boxes.  This is an older style Gamewell box with what appears to be brass inner works.  Nice!

[PFD1]

Battle Creek, MI.

[PFD1]

I think Battle Creek removed the alarm boxes in the late 70's-early 80's. You can't see it in the picture, but the pedestals have BC intertwined under the box. This one is from my collection.  Battle Creek still has some 10" chain wind gongs in their stations.

[dougco100]

Lansing - the state capital - removed its system in the late 70's.  The street boxes were removed and after much discussion were put up for sale at a bid price of $25.00 per box and another $25.00 for the cast metal posts that some of the boxes were mounted on.  

Needless to say, the entire group of boxes were sold.  The remainder of the system was sold at public auction of surplus city equipment.

The boxes on stations were kept and connected to a radio system as well as the master boxes on many major downtown buildings and schools.

[Box 2565]

Marquette operated a system with the 33 boxes shown on the listing below.

[Box 2565]

This running card from the Motor City is dated 12-23-68.  The location covers the D.F.D. Central Office (the fire alarm office).  I can hear it now, O.K. Chief 1, you're on the way...

[sfirephoto@aol.com]

August 11 1943 The Hazel Park Michigan Fire Department was started, Hazel Park was in Royal Oak Township. Royal Oak Twp had a fire station on John-r at 12 mile Road in what today is Madison Heights. The Gamewell Fire Alarm Box System was moved from Royal Oak Twp Fire Station to the Hazel Park Fire Station on Nine Mile Road. Hazel Park is 3.5square miles and has 36 fire alarm boxes on street conors. the box alarms numbers ran from #54 to #2858. I can supply a list if needed.
September 12 1963 Fire Chief Frank Durbin told HP City Council the Gamwell System needed $25.000.00 up grade and recommended the system be taken out of service. On February 24 1964 Box Alarm #116 on Eight Mile Road was sounded at 2304 hours, this was the last box alarm used in Hazel Park, the fire was south of Eight Mile in Detroit HPFD remained on location until DFD arrived.

Todays Ferndale, Madison Heights,Hazel Park and part of Royal Oak City were part of Royal Oak Twp, Ferndale FD had a Gamewell System, along with Royal Oak City, I would guess but don't know for sure the system was all part of the Fire Alarm Box System started in Royal Oak City.
Ferndale Started there own Fire Department in 1925.

Eloise Hospital or Wayne County General Hospital in Nankin Township todays Westland Michigan was on 244 acers, it was a large hospital with over 40 buildings some which were 4 storys tall Eloise had it's own fire department and Gamewell Fire Alarm Box System which was first installed in 1900 and remained in service until 1986 when the Hospital was shut down and tor down, I do not know how many boxes they had I would guess maybe 20 or so.

Willow Run Airport the Bomber Plant had a Gamewell Fire Alarm Box System with 154 boxes I own Box 154 the boxes had a telephone in side security or fire could use. The boxes were taken out of th e Plant in 1953 when Ford Motor Company sold the building to GM after the 1952 GM Hydrac Matic Fire which destropyed the building in Livonia Mi, the plant was than moved to Willow Run where it remains today

Richard Story

[Box 2565]

Washington Blvd & Larned - Box 38
This card is the box location for D.F.D. headquarters and was issued on June 19, 1964.

[Box 2565]

The National Board of Fire Underwriters Committee on Fire Prevention and Engineering Standards - Report on the City of Highland Park, Michigan - December 1927

The report stated that the H.P.F.D. was protecting a population of approximately 70,000 with 4 engine companies, 1 hose company, and 3 ladder companies in an area of 3.1 square miles.

Fire Alarm System
The system was installed 1916 with replacements in 1922. The system  includes a 10-circuit, semi-automatic repeater with contacts for 6 alarm circuits. Each fire station has a gong and light switch on a box circuit.  Gongs are also located at the residence of the chief and at the pumping station.

Boxes - Total installed 135.  7 boxes are privately owned, 75 are on pedestals with the remainder on telephone or fire alarm poles. 55 boxes are provided with a red light for night identification.  

The report also notes that the Superintendent of the alarm system, L. E. Walker, also maintains the police telegraph signaling system.

Note: This is a condensed version of the report with just the highlights!

[Box 2565]

This home is the former Royal Oak Fire Alarm Office.  This house is located at 528 S. Knowles Street.  There is an addition to the back of the original building that you can see in the second photo.  Notice the lettering of "Fire Alarm Building" etched into the stone over the front door.

[Box 2565]

Advertising postcard issued by Gamewell showing the new fire and police alarm office at Dearborn, Michigan.  The card was postmarked in Newton Upper Falls on February 27, 1930.  I've checked on the status of this building while in Dearborn and unfortunately the structure has been demolished.

[PFD1]

Kalamazoo, MI

This pedestal was located on the corner of Kalamazoo Ave. & N. Burdick St. It has to be sometime after 1958 because the fire alarm box has been replaced with an emergency phone box.

John Todd photo.

[Box 2565]

Red Jacket isn't shown in the list of cities with a Gamewell installation.  The alarm box locations are from 1927.  Did they have another brand of alarm system or had the system been removed?