Old Betsy’s Story
Old Betsy is a Type 75 Triple Combination Pumper. It was delivered to Moore Haven, Florida, on September 9, 1926, to begin work fighting fires in that town on the shores of Lake Okeechobee. However, things changed on September 18, 1926, when the Great Miami Hurricane came through. The simple mud dike that was around the lake broke, and Moore Haven was flooded with about 15 feet of water, including Old Betsy. The town was struggling to survive in many ways, including financially, and so they sold the truck to the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers (BLE). The BLE relocated Old Betsy to Venice on November 4, 1926. It was the town’s first fire truck and the only fire truck in town until 1949. When the Army decommissioned the Venice Army Air Base, it gave the city two trucks that joined in protecting the city.
In the late 1960s, Old Betsy was retired—but only where firefighting was concerned. It began a second career as an ambassador for the City of Venice. Old Betsy was entered into contests at fire truck competitions and even won a few. Years ago, it started leading the Venice Lions Club Halloween Parade. Old Betsy has been in parades in Ft Myers, St Petersburg, Sarasota, Bradenton and, of course, Venice, to name a few. It is most well-known for participating in the Venice holiday parade, which began in 1976. Old Betsy started out carrying Santa Claus and a few children who came down to the avenue, and later, as the parade grew, carried dignitaries and local councilpersons. Lately, it has been a participant in the annual Parade of Champions, honoring Venice High School sports winners.
Old Betsy had had a little work done from time to time, all thanks to several former fire chiefs as well as Glenn Stephens, Gaylord George, and Earl Midlam. In 2012, Old Betsy had the makeover of a lifetime. It was sent to Daytona Beach, where a corporation named PRIDE totally re-made her.
The City of Venice and Venice Heritage, Inc., have committed funds to construct the Old Betsy Museum on the Cultural Campus. This building will place Old Betsy on display 24/7, so people won’t have to wait for an event to enjoy it.