JOPLIN, Mo. — Many of our area fire departments use the latest in protective gear and modern trucks to battle blazes — but it wasn’t always like that. A new display inside the Joplin History and Mineral Museum is proof of that.

Museum Assistant, Christine Allgood says the items were donated by former area firefighters and their families.

“Originally, before they had an organized fire department, all businesses were required to keep a barrel of water out front with one of these round bottom buckets in it, but the problem was that people were stealing the buckets because it’s a useful item so they put a round bottom on it so you literally do nothing with it except for pass it hand-to-hand to put out a fire,” said Allgood.

It’s located in the same portion of the facility that is home to an antique fire truck.