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Fire Station No. 1 (Roanoke, Virginia)
Encyclopedia
Fire Station No. 1 is a former fire station
listed on the National Register of Historic Places
in the Downtown
neighborhood of the independent city
of Roanoke
, Virginia
, U.S.A.
Modeled after Philadelphia's Independence Hall, Fire Station No. 1 served as one of the longest continuously operating fire stations in the Commonwealth of Virginia from its completion in 1907 through the opening of a replacement facility in 2007. Designed by the Lynchburg
firm of Huggins and Bates, No. 1 still stands as a monument to the civic pride of early Roanoke.
in place within the city beginning in 1882, the first paid firefighters were hired in 1906, and ground was officially broken for No. 1 on February 19, 1906. Completed by 1907, the station exhibits the Georgian Revival style of an Edwardian-era firehouse. It features a limestone
ashlar foundation and a solid brick
facade with terracotta accents, topped with a bell tower that provided views of the entire city upon its completion.
By 1911 the city purchased their first engine powered fire truck stationed at No. 1. By 1918, horse-drawn fire wagons were totally phased out in favor of the engine-powered ones.
Originally cast in 1886, the bell originally placed atop the structure in the bell tower was removed in 2001, restored and is now on display on the first floor of the station. By 2003, the aging facility received a facelift to repair and restore the original limestone mortar on the facade. Additionally, the former bell tower was completely restored and the station was completely operational again by December. Although officials stated that No. 1 would retain its status as a fully staffed fire station even with the completion of a replacement facility, the station stopped running fire and EMS
calls on May 9, 2007. Today the facility serves as a fire museum open to the general public and as a stable for the Roanoke Police Department's Mounted Patrol.
Fire station
A fire station is a structure or other area set aside for storage of firefighting apparatus , personal protective equipment, fire hose, fire extinguishers, and other fire extinguishing equipment...
listed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
in the Downtown
Downtown Roanoke
Downtown is the central business district of Roanoke, Virginia, United States. Located geographically at the center of the city, Downtown began its development with the completion of the Shenandoah Valley Railroad in 1882...
neighborhood of the independent city
Independent city
An independent city is a city that does not form part of another general-purpose local government entity. These type of cities should not be confused with city-states , which are fully sovereign cities that are not part of any other sovereign state.-Historical precursors:In the Holy Roman Empire,...
of Roanoke
Roanoke, Virginia
Roanoke is an independent city in the Mid-Atlantic U.S. state of Virginia and is the tenth-largest city in the Commonwealth. It is located in the Roanoke Valley of the Roanoke Region of Virginia. The population within the city limits was 97,032 as of 2010...
, Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
, U.S.A.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Modeled after Philadelphia's Independence Hall, Fire Station No. 1 served as one of the longest continuously operating fire stations in the Commonwealth of Virginia from its completion in 1907 through the opening of a replacement facility in 2007. Designed by the Lynchburg
Lynchburg, Virginia
Lynchburg is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia. The population was 75,568 as of 2010. Located in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains along the banks of the James River, Lynchburg is known as the "City of Seven Hills" or "The Hill City." Lynchburg was the only major city in...
firm of Huggins and Bates, No. 1 still stands as a monument to the civic pride of early Roanoke.
History
With a purely volunteer forceVolunteer fire department
See also the Firefighter article and its respective sections regarding VFDs in other countries.A volunteer fire department is a fire department composed of volunteers who perform fire suppression and other related emergency services for a local jurisdiction.The first organized force of...
in place within the city beginning in 1882, the first paid firefighters were hired in 1906, and ground was officially broken for No. 1 on February 19, 1906. Completed by 1907, the station exhibits the Georgian Revival style of an Edwardian-era firehouse. It features a limestone
Limestone
Limestone is a sedimentary rock composed largely of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of calcium carbonate . Many limestones are composed from skeletal fragments of marine organisms such as coral or foraminifera....
ashlar foundation and a solid brick
Brick
A brick is a block of ceramic material used in masonry construction, usually laid using various kinds of mortar. It has been regarded as one of the longest lasting and strongest building materials used throughout history.-History:...
facade with terracotta accents, topped with a bell tower that provided views of the entire city upon its completion.
By 1911 the city purchased their first engine powered fire truck stationed at No. 1. By 1918, horse-drawn fire wagons were totally phased out in favor of the engine-powered ones.
Originally cast in 1886, the bell originally placed atop the structure in the bell tower was removed in 2001, restored and is now on display on the first floor of the station. By 2003, the aging facility received a facelift to repair and restore the original limestone mortar on the facade. Additionally, the former bell tower was completely restored and the station was completely operational again by December. Although officials stated that No. 1 would retain its status as a fully staffed fire station even with the completion of a replacement facility, the station stopped running fire and EMS
Emergency medical services
Emergency medical services are a type of emergency service dedicated to providing out-of-hospital acute medical care and/or transport to definitive care, to patients with illnesses and injuries which the patient, or the medical practitioner, believes constitutes a medical emergency...
calls on May 9, 2007. Today the facility serves as a fire museum open to the general public and as a stable for the Roanoke Police Department's Mounted Patrol.