The Mount Joy Area Historical Society will host Ty Lohr as guest speaker at its meeting at 7 p.m. on Monday, Aug. 19, at the Cemetery Road Schoolhouse, 120 Fairview St., Mount Joy. His program is titled "The History of Firefighting in Lancaster."

The story of firefighting in Lancaster County goes back to when horses hauled hoses through Lancaster city to extinguish fires set by a "fire-fiend" gang. The birth of the City of Lancaster's fire department - one of the first paid fire departments in the state - coincided with the rise of photography, which visually captured the profession's evolution throughout the 19th century to the present.

Lohr will share his research into the formative years of the profession in the county up to the present day.

Lohr is a former journalist with a love of history. Now pursuing a secondary education degree, Lohr is a soon-to-be social studies teacher who lives in Camp Hill.

The event is free and open to the public. Refreshments will follow the program.

The historical society building is open every Sunday from 1 to 4 p.m., weather permitting. Community members may conduct research and view the displays of Mount Joy memorabilia. For more information about the historical society, visit http://www.mountjoyhistory.com.