Holly

Holly Mfg. Co. - Lockport, NY

Holly Manufacturing Company was the namesake business of inventor Birdsill Holly (1820-1893). Birdsill Holly was was awarded many patents, including U.S. patent #94749 for a fire hydrant. A similar hydrant was manufactured by Union Iron Works, perhaps under license. (see Union Iron Works).

An early Internet meme was that Birdsill Holly invented the fire hydrant. This is demonstrably false, as prior art from the US Patent office shows. Moreover, Holly's patented hydrant was not in any way noteworthy for its time and is today obsolete.

first model

This short, pot-bellied hydrant was the first model Holly Mfg. produced.

Three variations have been discovered involving the number of bolts holding on the bonnet; examples have can be found with 2, 4 or 8 bolts. It is not known at this point if this difference is due to vintage or something else. This difference is noted with each hydrant shown below.



2162 (4-bolt top) Nozzles: 1x 2½" Size: ~4" V.O. Note: missing bonnet Location: Ohio	2163 (8-bolt top) Nozzles: 1x 2½" Size: ~4" V.O. Note: missing bonnet (See another view) Location: Ohio	2294 (2-bolt top) Nozzles: 1x 4" Size: ~4" V.O. Note: missing bonnet Location: Keith T. collection Photo: K. Thomas



0092 (4-bolt top) Nozzles: 2x 2½" Size: ~4" VO, 4.5" ID (See bonnet view) Location: Jeff K. collection Photo: J. Kaminski	1724 (4-bolt top) Nozzles: 1x 2½", 1x 4½" Size: ~4" V.O. Note: missing bonnet Location: Steve P. collection Photo: © 2001, J. Kaminski

next model?

We believe these hydrants to represent the next model produced.



0500 Nozzles: 2x 2½" Size: ? Location: Private collection Photo: © J. Kaminski	0322 Nozzles: 2x 2½", 1x 4½" Size: ? Location: ? Photo: © 2000, R. Porterfield

final model?

These hydrants are very similar to the previous model, differing only in the bonnet design.



0435 Nozzles: 3x 2½" internally gated Location: ? Photo: © T. Ingalsbe	0323 Nozzles: 2x 2½", 1x 4½" Location: ? Photo: © 2000, R. Porterfield

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