Ghosts of Old Fire Houses

Old Baltimore Fire Houses

While there are probably very few Baltimoreans old enough to remember the Great Baltimore Fire of 1904, nearly everyone has witnessed several building fires within their life. All about the city, the scars of blazes can be seen, often sadly, several times within the same block. Keeping these blazes from getting out of hand into 1904 proportions are the brave Firefighters of the truck and engine companies of the Baltimore Fire Department.
With the declining population of the city and ever growing budget concerns, the Department has seen its share of shrinking in recent years however, as entire companies are disbanded, while a growing trend toward modern multi-company houses continues. The result of these moves is a number of unused old firehouses about the city. Some of these have been converted into other uses, others remain on BCFD rolls to offer reserve equipment storage, while still others sit vacant, hoping to avoid demolition.
In many places, the houses are only a few blocks from another, recalling a time when Baltimore's population was more dense than today. Immediate South Baltimore, for example, contains a multitude of old houses. Come with us now on this journey about town to visit these fascinating old relics!

Engine Company 7 at Eutaw Street and Druid Hill Avenue dates to 1859. It was the oldest operating house in the system when it was disbanded in 1991. The house currently serves as a homeless shelter.
From up close, the old quarters of 1902 vintage Engine 23 at Saratoga and Tyson Streets deceive, with only the flush lip of the sidewalk to give away clues to its ancestry. However, when viewed from across the street, the tower offers another clue. The house was moved to the new Steadham facility in 1973, and has been since used as a private residence and art studio.

Truck Company #5 at Harford Road and Oliver Street, dating to 1904, presents a forlorn look with its boarded windows. The house, which also hosted various engine companies for varying stints, was abandoned when the company was moved to the newest multi-facility at Kirk Avenue and 25th Street in 2000.
At West and Leadenhall Streets resides the 1905 built quarters of Engine Company 26, which has since relocated to Fort Avenue's former quarters of Engine 12. Today, the building serves as a Homeless Shelter.

Truck 13's quarters were constructed in 1906 on Carey Street between Lombard and Hollins Street. The company was only disbanded in the Summer of 2001, though the house still stores a reserve truck which can be called into service when another company's truck requires repair.
Engine company 1 was built in 1907, on the East side of Paca Street near Mulberry, and was moved to the new Steadham Station in 1973. The building currently plays host to an Advertising agency.

Truck company 16, at Calvert and Read Streets, was a paricularly hotly debated house when it closed in 1989. Built in 1908, the building now houses an Architectural firm.
Built in 1909, Engine Company 37 at Ridgely and West Streets was disbanded in 1988, but still remains a frequent stop for Firefighters, as the home of the Baltimore Firefighters Local 734.

Most impressive is the front for Engine Company 38, on Baltimore Street at Martin Luther King Blvd. The company was moved to Steadam in 1981, and disbanded 13 years later. Today, the building serves as apartments.
This small structure, at Paca and Fayette, dates to 1909, and served as the home for Truck 2, and Water Tower 1. This was another of the companies moved to the Steadham complex at Eutaw and Lombard, and the building now houses a charity.

The Fairfield Station is probably the newest of the abandoned stations. Built in 1951, the house was abandoned in 1997, and now serves only as storage for reserve units. I was fortunate to catch the house in it's occasional use as BCFD Members prepped a rugged old Seagrave Engine for a temporary retirn to work.

With all the abandoned houses, one would think that there are no more active old houses remaining. Thankfully, this is not the case. Here is a sample of some of the still active older houses and companies of the BCFD...

This 1907 era house at Frederick near Caton houses both Engine Company 30, and Truck Company 8.
1920 is the proudly engraved date on Engine Company 2, occupying the corner of Light and Montgomery Streets.

While all of the houses maintain their unique charms, the 1890 home of Engine Company 44, and Truck Company 25, is certainly among the most unique. This house is on Upland Road West of Roland.
Engine Company 53 is the last wood frame BCFD house still in use. Located along Swann Avenue North of Edmondson, the structure was built in 1922.

36 Engine at Edmondson and Bentalou us another of the many 1909 vintage houses.

Newer firehouses lack many of the charms of their older siblings. When a new single story house was built at Harford Road and Markley Avenue, among the first criticisms made was that it lacked a pole to slide down. Nonetheless, the varying houses also serve alongside their more vintage brethern. Here are a couple of samples:

The Glen Avenue and Cross Coutry Boulevard House, home of Engine 45, and Truck 27 still maintains its charms. This station is probably the most visited of all stations, as it hosts a Christmas Garden during the holiday season.
A utilitarian and institutional look is presented by this House on McMechen Street, a typical example of single story houses.

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Engine Company 7 at Eutaw Street and Druid Hill Avenue dates to 1859. It was the oldest operating house in the system when it was disbanded in 1991. The house currently serves as a homeless shelter.	From up close, the old quarters of 1902 vintage Engine 23 at Saratoga and Tyson Streets deceive, with only the flush lip of the sidewalk to give away clues to its ancestry. However, when viewed from across the street, the tower offers another clue. The house was moved to the new Steadham facility in 1973, and has been since used as a private residence and art studio.
Truck Company #5 at Harford Road and Oliver Street, dating to 1904, presents a forlorn look with its boarded windows. The house, which also hosted various engine companies for varying stints, was abandoned when the company was moved to the newest multi-facility at Kirk Avenue and 25th Street in 2000.	At West and Leadenhall Streets resides the 1905 built quarters of Engine Company 26, which has since relocated to Fort Avenue's former quarters of Engine 12. Today, the building serves as a Homeless Shelter.
Truck 13's quarters were constructed in 1906 on Carey Street between Lombard and Hollins Street. The company was only disbanded in the Summer of 2001, though the house still stores a reserve truck which can be called into service when another company's truck requires repair.	Engine company 1 was built in 1907, on the East side of Paca Street near Mulberry, and was moved to the new Steadham Station in 1973. The building currently plays host to an Advertising agency.
Truck company 16, at Calvert and Read Streets, was a paricularly hotly debated house when it closed in 1989. Built in 1908, the building now houses an Architectural firm.	Built in 1909, Engine Company 37 at Ridgely and West Streets was disbanded in 1988, but still remains a frequent stop for Firefighters, as the home of the Baltimore Firefighters Local 734.
Most impressive is the front for Engine Company 38, on Baltimore Street at Martin Luther King Blvd. The company was moved to Steadam in 1981, and disbanded 13 years later. Today, the building serves as apartments.	This small structure, at Paca and Fayette, dates to 1909, and served as the home for Truck 2, and Water Tower 1. This was another of the companies moved to the Steadham complex at Eutaw and Lombard, and the building now houses a charity.
The Fairfield Station is probably the newest of the abandoned stations. Built in 1951, the house was abandoned in 1997, and now serves only as storage for reserve units. I was fortunate to catch the house in it's occasional use as BCFD Members prepped a rugged old Seagrave Engine for a temporary retirn to work.

This 1907 era house at Frederick near Caton houses both Engine Company 30, and Truck Company 8.	1920 is the proudly engraved date on Engine Company 2, occupying the corner of Light and Montgomery Streets.
While all of the houses maintain their unique charms, the 1890 home of Engine Company 44, and Truck Company 25, is certainly among the most unique. This house is on Upland Road West of Roland.	Engine Company 53 is the last wood frame BCFD house still in use. Located along Swann Avenue North of Edmondson, the structure was built in 1922.
36 Engine at Edmondson and Bentalou us another of the many 1909 vintage houses.