At 126 Plaza Street, Los Angels, California stands a firehouse built in 1884. It is listed as historical landmark #730. This firehouse was built in the style for that era, with a stable room at the back for horses and rooms upstairs for the firemen.
There was nothing out of the ordinary in 1884 about this firehouse. Today it is a historic landmark, housing two fire engines from that era and open to the public for viewing. Other than the normal building features for the 1800s, including hardwood floors and a hayloft, it had the normal turntable in the engine room, so they would not have to back the horses and wagon up to get them into the station.
The Liberty Firehouse in Gold Hill, Nevada, was one of wooden structure. Built in the 1800s, it was fashioned after other firehouses built during that time, whose main purpose was to serve mining towns. It was a simple building with a parapet front and belfry. The building finally collapsed in 1937, leaving only the belfry to attest to its existence there.
San Francisco has retained several of its old firehouses. Engine Company No. 13 was built in 1883 of brick with a front decorated almost entirely with cast iron. The building still stands and was purchased by a private source in 1959. Engine Company No. 27 was built in 1887, again of brick but a much different design. It has a pediment adorned with S.F.F.D. over the front door. The old firehouse now houses a private school.
All across our country, in every town are historic firehouses. They are tributes to the men who put their lives on the line to save homes and lives from fire.
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