Ashton "Mike" McKenney was a long time member of the Alexandria Volunteer Fire Department, starting in 1940. Later in his career, he worked as the historian for the AFD and wrote A History of the Relief Truck and Engine Company No. 1 of the Alexandria Fire Department (1788-1958). In 1956, Mike moved in with close friend Thomas Mills, Jr. and his family. He retired in 1972 from the Dulles International Airport Fire Department, and lived out his days with the Mills family in Colonial Beach where he was a charter member of the Colonial Yacht Club.
Thomas Mills III was a firefighter with the Alexandria Fire Department. Both he and his father had a penchant for grabbing their camera while headed to a fire, in order to capture the efforts of the fire companies. Tom also loved fire trucks and engines and documented that love with research and photographs, while both Mills and McKenney collected photos that documented the history of the AFD.
This collection contains research materials, ephemora, and photographs collected by or created by Mike McKenney, Thomas Mills Jr., and Thomas Mills III, that document the Alexandria Fire Department.
[item identification], McKenney-Mills Collection, MS413, Alexandria Library, Local History and Special Collections, Alexandria, Virginia.
Folder contains various notes and writings on the Alexandria Relief Fire Company written by Mike McKenney. Much of this material led to the publishing of his book on the subject.
This folder contains many various photocopies of newspapers taken from microfilm, from 1855-1935 newspapers. The subject matter collected by McKenney is anything fire department related.
Folder contains photocopies of portions of Seaport in Virginia by Gay Montague Moore, along with a letter from her nephew, F. Breckenridge Montague, granting permission to use portions of the article.
This folder contains photocopied newspapers from 1855-1856, along with correspondence between McKenney and Harold J. Seibert, and photographic negatives surrounding the firefighters memorial at Ivy Hill Cemetery.
Folder contains handwritten notes and photocopies of an unidentified publication on the Great Fire of 1827 in Alexandria.
Folder contains various notes and transcriptions related to the history of the Alexandria Fire Department.
Folder contains notes on fire department state conventions in the nineteenth century.
Folder contains photocopied newspapers and notes about the injury and death of the "Baby Fireman" George Whalen, who was severly injured in a fall while fighting a fire.
Folder contains a photocopied article written by Ashton "Mike" McKenney.
This folder contains several mock-ups of the program for the 200th anniversary of the Relief Truck and Engine Company No. 1, in 1988.
Folder contains several newspaper articles about whether or not the AFD should be able to utilize volunteers in the fire department.
This folder contains several small articles from the Alexandria Gazette's "Years Ago" series. These were compiled by Ashton "Mike" McKenney and mostly focus on the Alexandria Fire Department's history. These articles were kept in the order they appeared in McKenney's notebook, along with the black sheets that some of them are still taped to.
This folder contains miscellaneous newspaper clippings curated by Ashton "Mike" McKenney.
This folder contains several miscellaneous items including a ticket to the Annual Escursion of the Columbia Engine and Motor Co. No. 4 on July 26, 1921, a constitution and by-laws of the Friendship Veteran Fire Association, newspaper clippings of articles written by J. H. Mansfield, programs for the first annual retirement banquet from December 10, 1970, and stamps from 1981 commemorating the 1860 fire pumpers.
This folder contains various note and research materials about fire trucks, especially in the Alexandria fire department. It also contains 3 larger photographs of Alexandria fire trucks.
This folder contains letters written by and to Thomas Mills III, regarding his research on fire trucks.
This folder contains football programs and tickets along with a program for a play called Crew Follies.
This folder contains a ticket for a play called Out of the Stillness, a football schedule for the 1928 season, programs for a play called A Dweller in the Darkness and a play called When the Clock Strikes Twelve, and several issues of The Last Lap Alexandria High School newsletter dating frmo October 12, 1928 to April 16, 1930.
This series consists of a scrapbook, pamphlets, brochures, copies of Ashton McKenney's book, and a Bible donated to the fire department by the Ku Klux Klan.
Folder contains two operator's manuals and a small booklet on the history of America-LaFrance.
This folder contains 3 convention booklets. One is for the 41st Annual Convention and Tournament of the Virginia State Firemen's Association from August, 1927. Another is for the Annual Convention of Virginia State and Cumberland Valley Firemen's Associations, the Lady's Auxiliary to Virginia State Firemen's Assocation, and the State Fire Chiefs' Assocation of Virgina from 1932. The third is one for the same 3 conventions in 1958.
This folder contains several programs from past ceremonies of the Friendship Veterans Fire Association, often signed by the guest speaker of each ceremony. Signatures included are Gov. Mills E. Goodwin, Senator and astronaut John Glenn, Jeff Bostic, Bobby Beathard, and one signed by some of the people released in the Iran Hostage Crisis in 1981.
Folder contains several copies of A History of the Relief Truck and Engine Company No. 1 of the Alexandria Fire Department, written by Ashton "Mike" McKenney.
This folder contains a Bible donated by the Alexandria Ku Klux Klan No. 47 to the No 1. Relief Engine Company.
This sub-series of photographs features photos of firefighting apparatuses such as fire engines, hose wagons, steam pumps, fire trucks, and rescue vehicles. The separation of these materials from other photos was based on Thomas Mills III's study of these machines. On some photos in the collection, he would name everyone in the photo. Others, he would describe the apparatus, including the date in which it was ordered, the date in which it was shipped, the model and serial number, and which unit utilized it. If it was clear that the notation on the back was aimed at the apparatus, then it was placed in this sub-series.
This sub-series of photographs covers photos relevant to the history of the Alexandria Fire Department. They were arranged this way, due to their focus on the people of the department.
The arrangement of this collection is based on two categories: Subject and fire company. The first half of the sub-series of mostly group photographs and is arranged by fire company, keeping the Hook and Ladder No. 1, Engine and Truck No. 1, Potomac, Columbia No. 4, and Relief No. 5 together. The rest of the sub-series is arranged by subject, including funerals for specific firemen, Christmas celebrations, and portraits of members of the AFD.
300 Block of S. Patrick
500 Block of Montgomery
Corner of King and Lee Streets.
Corner of Prince and Royal Streets.
618 S. Columbus and 620 S. Columbus Street.