Details in Delaware: Fire insurance marks

“Details in Delaware” is a history-informed collaboration between Kara A. Briggs, an architectural historian with the Delaware Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs (HCA) State Historic Preservation Office, and Desiree May, HCA’s social media lead, to bring some interesting Delaware history facts and preservation information to the forefront.

The idea is to showcase the diversity of what HCA does, while also highlighting unique architectural features and landmarks to educate the public. Check out more interesting details like these by visiting HCA on Facebook, Instagram and X (formerly known as Twitter)!

Details in Delaware: Fire insurance marks

In America, between circa 1750 and 1900, property owners paid insurance companies in advance for fire protection and in exchange would receive a fire mark to attach to their building. 

Fire marks carried the symbol or the name of the insurer and were most commonly made of cast iron, but also created from sheet brass, lead, tinned sheet iron, copper or zinc.  

Between 1804 to 1904, over 40 different fire insurance companies throughout the United States issued cast iron fire marks in a variety of sizes and shapes with original and unique emblem designs that are often considered as works of art in their own right. A popular myth is that fire companies would not fight a fire unless the property was insured and had a fire mark. Another popular myth is that firefighters would only extinguish a fire on a house displaying the fire mark of the company who employed them.