A piece of Nowata's firefighting history is back home after nearly 50 years away.

In 1938, the City of Nowata purchased a new Ford fire truck for approximately three-thousand dollars. The truck was a major upgrade for the department at the time, with a pumping capacity of 500 gallons per minute.

Its arrival prior to World War II even required improvements to the city's water infrastructure, including the installation of fire hydrants capable of supplying the truck.

Now, nearly 90 years after it first entered service, the truck has returned to Nowata under private ownership.

The truck will be restored using private funds. The project will also give current firefighters an opportunity to work together to preserve a piece of their department's history. Once restoration is complete, the goal is to display the truck in parades, community celebrations, and public events.

The project aims to honor generations of firefighters, preserve Nowata's history, and share that legacy with future generations.

Photo: Nowata Fire Truck, Then and Now. Courtesy Nowata Fire Department.