Cause for Alarm

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The urban volunteer fire department played a crucial role in the social fabric of 19th-century cities, a fact often overlooked by historians. Amy Greenberg explores this institution through the fire departments of Baltimore, St. Louis, and San Francisco, revealing their diverse membership that included merchants, immigrants, and native-born citizens. Rather than focusing on class, the book highlights how these fire companies fostered a masculine culture of camaraderie, competition, and civic virtue, offering men a sense of identity and community amidst urban challenges.