Fire Station No. 1 (Roanoke, Virginia)

Infobox nrhp2
name = Fire Station No. 1
nrhp_type =
nhd =
designated_other1_name = Virginia Historic Landmark
designated_other1_date =
designated_other1_abbr = VHL
designated_other1_link = Virginia Landmarks Register
designated_other1_number =
designated_other1_color = #abb99a


caption =
lat_degrees = 37
lat_minutes = 16
lat_seconds = 12
lat_direction = N
long_degrees = 79
long_minutes = 56
long_seconds = 24
long_direction = W
locmapin=Virginia
location = Roanoke, VA
built = 1907cite web|title=National Register of Historic Places Nomination: Fire Station No. One|url=http://www.dhr.virginia.gov/registers/Cities/Roanoke/128-0033_Fire_Station_No.One_1973_Final_Nomination.pdf|date=September 1972|accessdate=2008-08-05]
architect = Huggins and Bates
architecture = Georgian Revival
designated =
added = May 7 1973
established =
visitation_num =
visitation_year =
refnum = 73002224
mpsub =
governing_body =

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,cite news
last =McCaffery
first =Jen
coauthors =
title =Old and new come together at station
work =The Roanoke Times
pages =B3
date =December 20, 2003 ] 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.cite news
last =McConnel
first =Mark C.
coauthors =
title =History, efficiency, safety and cost — Argue for saving Fire Station No. 1
work =The Roanoke Times
pages =B9
date =September 1, 2005 ] cite news
last =Struzzi
first =Diane
coauthors =
title =Things look up for firehouse
work =The Roanoke Times
pages =C1
date =June 16, 1994 ] Designed by the Lynchburg firm of Huggins and Bates, No. 1 still stands as a monument to the civic pride of early Roanoke.

History

With a purely volunteer force in place within the city beginning in 1882, the first paid firefighters were hired in 1906,cite web|title=Roanoke Fire Department History|url=http://www.roanokeva.gov/WebMgmt/ywbase61b.nsf/vwContentByKey/N2555RNY178JFAREN|accessdate=2008-08-05] and ground was officially broken for No. 1 on February 19 1906.cite news
last =Harris
first =Belinda
coauthors =
title =Looking back
work =The Roanoke Times
pages =B2
date =February 19, 2006 ] 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.cite news
last =Clarke
first =Rachel
coauthors =
title =Historic fire bell rung back to action
work =The Roanoke Times
pages =B1
date =July 28, 2001 ] 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.cite news
last =Nair
first =Lindsey
coauthors =
title =Restoration begins on Roanoke's Fire Station No. 1, age 97
work =The Roanoke Times
pages =C1
date =September 15, 2003 ] 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.cite web|title=Historic Fire-EMS Station #1|url=http://www.roanokeva.gov/WebMgmt/ywbase61b.nsf/CurrentBaseLink/N2555RQV075JFAREN|accessdate=2008-08-05] 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.

References

External links

* [http://www.roanokeva.gov/WebMgmt/ywbase61b.nsf/CurrentBaseLink/N2555RQV075JFAREN Historic Fire-EMS Station #1]