LOMBARD — This year, the Lombard Fire Department is getting nostalgic, and current members of the force collaborate with dozens of former Lombard firefighters to celebrate the department’s 100th birthday.

The centennial kicked off Jan. 3 at Fire Station 1, with a celebration that included many of the department’s former chiefs and firefighters. A similar gathering was held in the same location exactly 100 years prior, when the founding members of the Lombard Fire Department held their first meeting.

Lombardians will be able to experience the history of the Lombard fire Department beginning Sunday, as the village’s historical society opens a special exhibit at the newly-renovated Carriage House.