Oldest Continuously Working Fire Stations

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Year Fire Department Company Name Remarks Photo
1848

Madison, IN

Washington Fire Company 2

Built in 1848, this station is considered to be the oldest operating firehouse in the United States.

1857 Bristol, PA Bristol Fire Company Bristol Fire's station was originally built as a two story building. A third floor was later added for Borough Council meetings. The apparatus room adjacent to the three story section was remodeled in 1990. It is located at the intersection of Wood and Market Streets.
1871 Louisville, KY Engine Co.7 No information at this time.
1873 Peabody, MA

Engine Co.1 Ladder Co.1

Car 2

 Built in 1873 for $30,000 and remodeled in 1988 for $1.5 million, it is the oldest active fire station in the State of Massachusetts. It is listed as a National Historic Site.
1878 York, PA Engine Co.1 Engine Co.3 Truck A Station 1 is located at 49 South Duke Street. The present station was constructed in 1878 and is listed on the National Register Of Historic Places.
1882 New Bedford, MA Engine Co.6 Ladder Co.3 Built in 1882. Station 6 is located in the south end of the city at the corner of Purchase and Potomska Streets.
1884 Bayonne, NJ Engine Co.5 Opened in 1884, this station is officially known as Station #5. It is located on 34th Street between Broadway and Avenue C. It used to be a double company house. Engine Co. 7 was also stationed here until 1972, when they moved to their new quarters on Hook Road. It also houses EMS 2 and the Bayonne Firefighters Union, FMBA Local #11. This is the oldest active firehouse in the City of Bayonne.
1887 Charleston, SC Engine Co.2 Engine Co.3 Battalion Chief Asst. Chief Chief of Dept. On August 31, 1886, the city of Charleston was struck by an earthquake. Many fire stations were damaged, and as a result the city built a trio of larger and more strategically located fire stations. Three stations were built with the largest of the three opened at the corner of Meeting and Wentworth Streets. The new station housed four steam engine companies when it opened. For more information on Charleston Fire Houses, go to Mike Legeros site.
1887 Charleston, SC Engine Co.6 Battalion Chief The third fire station built after the 1886 earthquake was the station on Cannon Street. It replaced the former Marion Steam Fire Engine Company just 2 blocks down. For more information on Charleston Fire Houses, go to Mike Legeros site.
1887 Boston, MA Engine Co.33 Ladder Co.15 Station 33 is located at 941–955 Boylston St., in the Back Bay district. It was Boston's first fire department & police station complex. The courtyard between the two buildings used to be a stable.
1888 Buffalo, NY Engine Co.19 The first regular fire company was organized in Buffalo on the 16th of December, 1824.
1888 Madison, IN Fairplay Fire Company 1 Their current station was built in 1875 as a trolley barn. They took it over in 1888. The organization itself was started on September 14th, 1841 making it the oldest fire company in the State of Indiana.
1888 Manistee, MI unknown Built in 1888, the Manistee Fire Station is the oldest continuously operated firehouse in the State of Michigan.
1889 New Bedford, MA Engine Co.7 Rsv.Eng.Co.27 Built in 1889. Station 7 is located in the west end of New Bedford at the corner of Durfee and Cottage Streets, within a short distance from New Bedford High School.
1891 Buffalo, NY Engine Co.22 The first regular fire company was organized in Buffalo on the 16th of December, 1824.
1893 New Bedford, MA Engine Co.8 Ladder Co.4 Station 8 was built in 1893 and is located in the north end, at the corner of Acushnet Ave. and Davis St.
1894 Buffalo, NY Engine Co.26 The first regular fire company was organized in Buffalo on the 16th of December, 1824.
1894 Cambridge, MA Engine Co.2 Truck Co.2 Squad Co.2 This firehouse stands at Lafayette Square in south-central Cambridge. Engine 2 was founded in 1846 and originally was located nearby on Main Street. Truck 3 was formed in 1894 in this firehouse.
1895 Burlington, VT Engine Co.3 Fire Station Three is one of the oldest operating firehouses in Vermont. Built in 1895, it originally housed two horse drawn apparatus, a steam engine and a hose cart. In later years, a motorized engine carried both the pump and the hose, and an 85' aerial ladder was added.
1895 Mount Holly, NJ Relief Fire Co.1 The Relief Fire Company No. 1 IS THE OLDEST CONTINUOUSLY serving volunteer company in the United States. Originally formed on July 11, 1752 as “Britannia” they later changed their name so the department would have a more patriotic name. Their original firehouse, built in 1752, sits next to the current firehouse built in 1895.
1895 Peabody, MA Engine Co.4 The Tremont Fire Station was built in 1895.
1897 Leominster, MA Unknown No information at this time.
1897 Buffalo, NY Engine Co.28 The first regular fire company was organized in Buffalo on the 16th of December, 1824.
1899 St. Louis, MO Engine Co.32 Medic 32 Located at 3500 South Grand Blvd in District 4.
1901 Quincy, MA Engine Co.4 Ladder Co.2 Oldest house in Quincy, MA
1903 Buffalo, NY Engine Co.31 Ladder Co.14 The first regular fire company was organized in Buffalo on the 16th of December, 1824.
1903 York, PA Engine Co.5 Engine Co.7 Station 5 is located at 833 East Market Street. This station dates from 1903.
1904 Lexington, KY Engine Co.4 Built in 1904, the Station was named the "Vogt Reel House" after Henry Vogt, a Chairman of the Fire Committee of the Board of City Councilman who donated the land for the Station. Firehouse #4, with its neo-Jacobean design, is the oldest Firehouse in Lexington and celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2004.
1905 Lexington, KY Engine Co.5 Ladder Co.2 Only a year younger than Station #4, this station opened in 1905 and celebrated its 100th anniversary with a party in 2005. It serves one half of the University of Kentucky Campus and was the first station in Lexington to house an elevated platform apparatus when Ladder-Tower #2 was placed in service in 2005.
1906 St. Louis, MO Engine Co.4 Car 804 Located at 4425 South Compton Avenue in District 4.
1907 Burlington, IA Unknown Central fire station was built in 1907 at the corner of 5th and Valley. The boarded up trap doors for the hay loft on the 2nd story are still visible. The parking lot behind Central station was a pasture for the horses in those days. In 1913 the first motorized fire engine was purchase and by 1926 they were completely motorized.
1908 New Bedford, MA Engine Co.11 Built in 1908. Station 11 is located at the corner of Brock Ave. and Mott St. in the far south end of the city.
1910 Hull, MA Unknown No information at this time.
1910 Charleston, SC Engine Co.8 This was the first fire station to be located on the Upper Peninsula and cost $9,575 to build. Engine 8 was placed in service on April 15, 1910 with an 1870 Amoskeag Steamer, a hose wagon, eight firefighters, and likely four horses.
1911 Elmira, NY Engine Co.5 Station Five is the oldest active fire house in the Elmira area. Built on Roe Avenue next to Holy Family School, it was originally designed for horse drawn engines. It has seen many modifications over the years. The doors have been widened and raised to accommodate motorized apparatus. The horse stable is now the kitchen and the hay loft is a weight room. The brass pole is still intact.
1912 Buffalo, NY Engine Co.34 Ladder Co.7 The first regular fire company was organized in Buffalo on the 16th of December, 1824.
1913 Buffalo, NY Engine Co.35 Ladder Co.15 The first regular fire company was organized in Buffalo on the 16th of December, 1824.
1914 Cambridge, MA Engine Co.5 Division 1 No information at this time.
1916 Lexington, KY Engine Co.6 Emergency 7 Built in the bungalow style in 1916, Station #6 was originally called the "Scoville Engine House" after Melville H. Scoville, a prominent agricultural leader of the early 20th century. Until 1969, the Station served as the LFD training grounds and included a training tower where the bays now sit. In 1986 the Station was remodeled and bays were added that allow the units to pull out onto Scott Street instead of onto Limestone Street as the Station was originally designed.
1917 West Lafayette, IN Unknown Fire Station No. 1 is located at 300 North Street, near the Purdue University campus, and was built in 1917, making it one of Indiana's oldest active fire stations. Fire Station No. 1 formerly housed city hall and other city offices.
1917 New Bedford, MA Engine Co.1 Ladder Co.1 Unit 2 Headquarters Dispatch Room Station 2 is located in the downtown section of the city and was built in 1917.
1924 Buffalo, NY Engine Co.23 The first regular fire company was organized in Buffalo on the 16th of December, 1824.
1926 Burlington, VT

Engine Co.1 Tower Co.1 Rescue Co.1 Car 12

Air Truck

Car 1

Engine Co.1 is the busiest company in the State of Vermont. The station is located at 136 South Winooski Avenue.
1926 Buffalo, NY Engine Co.38 Battalion 7 The first regular fire company was organized in Buffalo on the 16th of December, 1824.
1929 Lexington, KY Engine Co.1 Engine Co.3 Ladder Co.1 EC-1 & EC-10 Dist.Major 205 Battalion 200 Mobile Air 1 Mobile Air 2 Command Post Mass Care 1 Built by the Skinner Brothers and Perry Lumber Company beginning in 1928, Station 1 opened in June of 1929. The station replaced the Short Street Station 1 and is Fire Headquarters. Included on the grounds are the administrative offices, Fire Prevention Bureau, Fire Communications, Building Maintenance, Fire Apparatus Garage, Radio Shop, EMS supply area, Cascade Room, office of the Quartermaster and central supply storage.
1930 Mansfield, MA Engine Co.1 No information at this time.
1934 New Bedford, MA Engine Co.9 Station 9 was built in 1934 at the corner of Ashley Blvd. and Tarkiln Hill Rd. It was the first fire station in the city to be built for motorized apparatus.
1952 Haddonfield, NJ Haddon Fire Co.1 On March 8, 1764 the Friendship Fire Company of Haddonfield was started. Today known as Haddon Fire Co.1 it is the 2nd oldest fire department in operation in the country. The current station was built in 1952.

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