Excerpts from Journal-topics.com:
For nearly 50 years, Ralph R. Bishop has shared stories with members of the Park Ridge Historical Society about his childhood in Park Ridge, and one of his favorite memories was the Lil’ Pirsch fire truck, which the city first purchased in 1921.
His father, Ralph E. Bishop, was the fire chief at the time, and the original pumper was built by Nash. This year marks the 100th anniversary of its original chassis, but by 1932, the department decided it needed a major overhaul—replacing the hard tires and wooden spokes on the wheels, and doubling the water tank capacity from 250 to 500 gallons. The renovation, done by Peter Pirsch & Sons in Kenosha, WI, gave the truck a new name: the Lil’ Pirsch—and an official age based on the 1932 parts.
Growing up in a family deeply involved in the fire department, Ralph and his brother Emmett learned how to maintain, drive, and even repair the truck. They also worked on Model T Fords, as service stations were scarce back then.
Eventually, when the Lil’ Pirsch was retired from active service, it was sold to the Drake Funeral Home. It remained a familiar sight in local parades, and Ralph often drove it for special events.
Park Ridge Historical Society photo
Drake later moved the truck to Memphis, TN. At the time, he offered to sell it to Ralph, but he had no place to store it. Later, when Ralph tried to buy it again, the price had gone up. Eventually, the truck ended up in the Memphis Fire Department’s museum.
The Park Ridge Historical Society wanted to bring the Lil’ Pirsch back home. For eight years, archivist Brian Lazzaro and Ralph worked together to prove that the truck in Memphis was indeed the same one from Park Ridge. Ralph still had documents, part numbers, and photos that helped confirm its identity.
After much effort, Memphis agreed to sell the truck to the historical society. The purchase cost $20,000, and an estimated $5,000 to $10,000 would be needed for restoration to get it running again.
Lazzaro and his son drove down last year to transport the truck back to Illinois on a flatbed. Their first stop was Des Plaines, where Ralph and his wife Ramona had recently moved from Park Ridge. Ralph came out with his walker, wearing a mask and a big smile. The Lil’ Pirsch arrived with a Park Ridge flag pinned on the side—a perfect birthday gift for his 93rd birthday.
![Park Ridge FD restored 1932 Pirsch fire engine]()
The Bishops donated many items to the historical society and the fire department archives, including a diary from the pumper’s first year in service.
During the summer of 2020, due to COVID restrictions, most public fundraisers were canceled, and access to the Park Ridge History Center was limited. Despite these challenges, the society managed to raise around $10,000 online through donations from members, friends, and local businesses at www.parkridgefiretruck.com. Donations can also be made via mail to the Park Ridge Historical Society at 721 N. Prospect Ave., Park Ridge, IL 60068. Additional help is still needed to complete the restoration.
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