Read our story and fan the fire!

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“Fire! Fire!” cried William Pors as his recently acquired sawmill on Mill Street burned unrestrained. The year was 1870 and the small town of Saukville, Wisconsin, had no fire department to fight this and prior conflagrations. Five years later, Saukville was experiencing a building boom and the need was there to protect the newly constructed homes and businesses from the ever-present threat of fire. Thus, the beginning of the Saukville Fire Department was formed, a team of brave men, trained in the skills of ladder climbing and water throwing, dedicated to safeguarding the growing community.

 

A Firehouse That Grew with Saukville

Fundraising for the construction of the first firehouse was successful and a single-story wood frame building was completed in 1881 at 200 North Mill Street, not far from the site of the tragic mill fire 10 years prior. Thirty years later, the needs of the fire department outgrew that building and a two-story brick firehouse was constructed on the same Mill Street location in 1912. Fifty more years passed and expansion was again required with a new firehouse being constructed in 1962, abandoning the original location. The historic building then took on a new purpose as the Saukville Public Works and in 1998 became the home of the Saukville Area Historical Society.

 

Changing Times

In 2025, the Saukville Area Historical Society voted to dissolve and to continue their mission of preserving and sharing the Saukville history, offered to donate all of their archival materials and artifacts to the Ozaukee County Historical Society. In November, 2025 the property located at 200 Mill Street was sold to a private party who has very generously agreed to donate the historic brick fire house to the Ozaukee County Historical Society. 

 

A Defining Moment for Preservation

One hundred and fifty years after the forming of the first fire department in Saukville, fundraising is needed again. This time, not to extinguish fires, but to ignite one that memorializes the history of fire fighters, their bravery and devotion to community, and the building that served as their storied home. Dedicated to the preservation, restoration and protection of local history, the Ozaukee County Historical Society is endeavoring to relocate and restore the 1912 Saukville Firehouse so it can be enjoyed for future generations as part of the Ozaukee County Pioneer Village.

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Ignite the Fire!

OCHS must relocate the fire house by August 2026 to Ozaukee County Pioneer Village, located approximately five miles from its current site. Once moved, the building will undergo a multi-phase restoration aimed at returning it to its original 1912 appearance and transforming it into an interactive exhibit focused on firefighting history in Saukville and across Ozaukee County.

 

At full buildout, visitors will be able to explore original firefighting equipment, read firsthand accounts of historic fires, and engage with hands-on exhibits designed for families and school groups. Artifacts will include the Saukville 1912 pumper and a 1937 fire engine.

 

To support the first two phases of the project—site preparation at Pioneer Village and the physical relocation of the building—OCHS has launched a fundraising campaign titled “Ignite the Fire”. The organization is seeking to raise $250,000 by July 2026. Donations from individuals and businesses will be matched dollar-for-dollar, up to a 2x match, by a private donor throughout the campaign.

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