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TURN OF THE CENTURY FIRE HYDRANTS
By the early 1900s a number of large cities, including nearby Sacramento, were
purchasing "off the shelf" model Rensselaer hydrants. It made practical and
economic sense for Marysville to purchase the same "stock" hydrant, equipped
with Marysville threads. This was the case until 1930.
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"Stock" List-90
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THE MORE MODERN ERA
In 1930 the California Public Utilities Commission authorized the California Water Service
Company to acquire the old Marysville Water Company. Cal Water began to phase out some of the
most ancient portion of the water system and improve pumping capacity. For fire protection
Cal Water installed more efficient Rensselaer List-90A type fire hydrants with 5¼ in. barrels,
still equipped with 4 in. Marysville thread steamer ports in accordance with the fire department's wishes.
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1945 List-90A
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When Rensselaer phased out the List-90A, Marysville continued with Rensselaer, purchasing
List-90B model hydrants as there was some advantage to having repair parts that were oftentimes
interchangeable between the various versions of the List-90 hydrant.
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1967 List-90B
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BUSINESS DISTRICT IMPROVEMENTS
Before the days of shopping malls, most residents shopped downtown, primarily
on "D" street. In the 1960s the City beautified the street, adding trees and planters, and
installed Greenberg Model 91 "low profile" wet barrel hydrants to fit into the landscape
design. (I remember that we used them a lot as benches!) These Greenbergs were Marysville's
first wet barrel hydrants with independent valve controls.
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1965 Greenberg Model 91
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THE END OF RENSSELAER
Rensselaer Valve went out of business in 1969. In the 1970s Cal Water started procuring Rich hydrants
to replace the trusty "Rennys." A number of these hydrants can be found in town.
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1974 Rich hydrant
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