One hundred years after the original farewell, the D.C. Fire and EMS Department brought history back to life on Sunday with a ceremonial “Last Run of the Horses,” commemorating a century since the city transitioned from horse-drawn fire engines to motorized apparatus.
At 1 p.m., the department—alongside the Friendship Fire Association and the D.C. Fire & EMS Foundation—reenacted the historic 1925 event that marked the retirement of the city’s fire horses.
A cosmetically preserved 1905 American LaFrance horse-drawn steam fire engine was hitched and paraded from the William H. Rumsey Aquatic Center at 635 North Carolina Ave SE. The procession made its way through Capitol Hill to Lincoln Park, where a small community reception followed.
“This was more than just a tribute to the past,” said a D.C. Fire and EMS spokesperson. “It was a moment to recognize the legacy of those early engines—and the animals that powered them—while celebrating the evolution of firefighting in the District.”
The original “Last Run” in 1925 symbolized the end of the horse-drawn era, as fire departments across the country embraced motorized vehicles. At its peak, the D.C. Fire Department maintained dozens of horses, cared for by firefighters who often formed strong bonds with their four-legged partners.
