1979 Rosemount Fire Engine Returning Home After Minnesota Fire Engine Club Secures Historic Truck
DAKOTA COUNTY, MINNESOTA - A piece of Rosemount’s firefighting history is returning to Dakota County after more than two decades of service in Lafayette, Minnesota. The Minnesota Fire Engine Club (MFEC) has secured a 1979 Hammerly fire engine, originally delivered new to the Rosemount Fire Department, after the City of Lafayette voted to sell the truck to the organization for $1.
MFEC Public Information Officer and Donations Chair Len Schrader said he spotted the apparatus for sale while conducting his daily scan of online listings in search of potential historical fire equipment donations. A familiar-looking pumper caught his eye: a 1979 Hammerly engine bearing the unmistakable features of Rosemount’s former rig.
“Knowing the history of the trucks in this area, it looked vaguely familiar,” Schrader said. “I reached out to the City of Lafayette for more information, and they confirmed it, this was Rosemount’s 1979 Hammerly pumper.”
A Rare Apparatus with Deep Minnesota Roots
Hammerly fire apparatus was manufactured in Pennsylvania, and examples this far west are uncommon. That rarity, combined with the truck’s documented history in Dakota County, made it a priority for preservation. After serving Rosemount for 23 years, the pumper was sold to the City of Lafayette in 2002. The city repainted the vehicle, affixed its municipal markings, and placed it into front-line service, where the engine served the Lafayette community for another 23 years before being retired in 2025 and listed for sale.
MFEC submitted a letter to the Lafayette City Council ahead of open bidding, expressing its interest in obtaining the truck for historic preservation. In that letter, the organization asked the city to consider donating the engine to the club. If a donation wasn’t possible, the club formally offered to purchase the truck for $1.
Schrader explained that MFEC maintains strict policies regarding apparatus stewardship: “Our trucks will never be used for political or unsavory purposes. They are always displayed with dignity and pride.” The club assured the city that the truck would be preserved, cared for, and shared with the public as a piece of Minnesota’s firefighting heritage.
Council Approves Sale, Ensuring a Respectful Retirement
During their council meeting, Lafayette officials opened sealed bids and read MFEC’s letter aloud. Ultimately, the council agreed to sell the engine to the Minnesota Fire Engine Club for $1.
The truck has now returned to Dakota County, where it will be cared for by a club member and preserved as a significant artifact representing the fire service history of both Rosemount and Lafayette.
A Future Home in a Planned Firefighting Museum
The Minnesota Fire Engine Club, an organization dedicated to preserving historic fire apparatus, equipment, and firefighting history across the state, is currently undertaking “Operation Forever Home,” a long-term initiative to construct a 32,000-square-foot museum in southern Dakota County, a story we previously published, which you can find here: Minnesota Fire Engine Club Launches Fundraiser for Permanent Home and Museum.
The vision is for this museum to become a permanent home for Minnesota’s firefighting heritage, with the newly reacquired 1979 Hammerly pumper among the featured display pieces.
For more information about the Minnesota Fire Engine Club, upcoming events, membership, or Operation Forever Home, visit mnfec.com.
Picture of the members of the Minnesota Fire Engine Club.
Written by: Will Wight
Photos Credit: Minnesota Fire Engine Club
