Last Run of the Horses
100th Anniversary
BACKGROUND: One hundred years ago, on June 15, 1925, the DC Fire Department held a ceremonial Last Run of the Horses. The purpose of the event was to commemorate the service of the great fire horses, who were no longer needed due to the advent of motorized fire apparatus.
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EVENT DETAILS: On June 15, 2025 at 1 p.m., the DC Fire and EMS Department, in partnership with the Friendship Fire Association and the DC Fire & EMS Foundation, re-enacted the historic ceremonial Last Run of the Horses, using a cosmetically preserved 1905 American LaFrance horse-drawn steam fire engine.
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ROUTE: The horse-drawn engine ran from the William H. Rumsey Aquatic Center at 635 North Carolina Ave, SE, to Lincoln Park, where we gathered for a small community reception immediately following the procession.
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WHAT WAS SPECIAL: Hundreds of neighbors, active and retired firefighters and their families, and other supporters lined the streets and gathered at Lincoln Park to observe the procession. It was a joyful day on Capitol Hill!
This recap video includes historic film footage of the ceremonial Last Run of the DCFD Horses on June 15, 1925. Reproduced with permission from the UCLA Film and Television Archives. Learn more here.
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Grace Newton, WTOP | grace.newton@wtop.com
June 15, 2025, 7:56 PM
Hundreds gathered along one D.C. avenue Sunday to commemorate the last time the city’s Fire Department used horse drawn carriages to respond to emergencies ...
Sunday’s event, organized by the DC Fire and EMS Foundation along with the Friendship Fire Association, marked the 100th anniversary of the event by holding a reenactment.
“They’re (department members) very proud of the long history of the agency,” said Amy Mauro, executive director of DC Fire and EMS Foundation. “How far it’s come over the last 150 years of being in existence ...Today is a really joyful day on Capitol Hill,” Mauro said.
“There were a lot of stories going back and forth, you know, from the retired guys, and talking about how D.C. has changed, how it doesn’t look the same, and just reminiscing about their time on the job,” Mazzara said. “So it’s a lot of fun.”
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