Posted September 10, 200816 yr Someone requested this a while back, but I didn't decide to put it together until I was informed about one of the old firehouses in Middletown. Firehouses that are closed or not operating are tagged as 'Companies' while operating houses are 'Stations,' in this listing. Both cities changed what they called their stations several times (company, latter house, hose house, ward firehouse, station, etc.). I'm proud to note that Hamilton still operates 3 historic stations MIDDLETOWN MIDDLETOWN OLD COMPANY 1 -Broad Street -Part of City Hall -Built 1880 -Demolished 1950's MIDDLETOWN OLD COMPANY 2 -Crawford Street -Built 1897 -Closed 1979 -Renovated as apartments MIDDLETOWN OLD COMPANY 3 -Yankee Road -Built 1930 -Closed 1979 -Used as lodge hall MIDDLETOWN STATION 4 -Tytus Avenue -Built 1954 MIDDLETOWN STATION 1 -Clinton Street -Built 1956 MIDDLETOWN STATION 5 -Central Avenue -Built 1966 MIDDLETOWN STATION 3 - FIRE HEADQUARTERS -Roosevelt Boulevard -Built 1979 Bells from 1880 city hall/firehouse MIDDLETOWN STATION 2 -Dixie Highway -Acquired from Franklin Township with eastward annexation in 1997 HAMILTON HAMILTON COMPANY 1 -B Street -Built 1880's -Demolished 1933 HAMILTON COMPANY 2 -South Third Street -Built 1880's -Demolished HAMILTON COMPANY 3 -North Third Street -Demolished HAMILTON COMPANY 4 -East Avenue -Built 1900 -Closed -Owned by BC Historical Society HAMILTON COMPANY 5 -Ninth Street -Built 1900 -Closed -Owned by Butler County Historical Society HAMILTON STATION 6 -Laurel Avenue -Built 1911 -Still Operating HAMILTON STATION 7 -Shuler Avenue -Built 1911 -Still Operating HAMILTON STATION 4 -Main Street and Millville Avenues -Built 1930 -Originally Station 1 -Sits in flatiron block with facades facing both Main and Millville -Still Operating HAMILTON FORMER HEADQUARTERS -Market Street -Built 1935 -Part of City Hall -Closed HAMILTON STATION 5 -Erie Boulevard -Built 1974 HAMILTON STATION 1 -Brookwood Avenue -Built 1989 HAMILTON STATION 2 - FIRE HEADQUARTERS -Pershing Avenue -Built 1999 And that's it from Butler County...
September 10, 200816 yr There have been some changes in firehouse styles and construction over the years. The 19th century versions were carefully constructed out of brick and stone to last a century or longer while newer versions will be demo'ed and replaced after a few decades. Hard to image any future condo-conversions for the 1979 sheet metal building Middletown #3 station. They sure don't build them like they used to...
September 11, 200816 yr Interesting subject matter yet quality thread. "You don't just walk into a bar and mix it up by calling a girl fat" - buildingcincinnati speaking about new forumers
September 11, 200816 yr Nice job! A lot of old stations got phased out because the center of development shifted, and some were replaced because modern equipment simply wouldn't fit spaces and doors designed for horse-drawn steam pumpers. I'll agree with John S's comment. Most new stations don't display the quality of construction or attractive design that a lot of the old ones did.
September 11, 200816 yr When I did my thread on the fire stations of Cleveland, it made me sick to see the stations that were closed only to be replaced with the modern CRAP they have now. There were only three stations that were still open from the 1910 era or earlier, the rest were replaced with garbage. Yes, the modern trucks are larger and taller than what a lot of the old stations could accomodate, but why not renovate them? Cities like Chicago or NYC seemed to have kept the traditional fire houses, but not Cleveland, and from what I can see some of the ones in this thread. Maybe because of the cost, maybe because we have available land unlike some other cities...who knows? All I do know is it is too bad that such history can be replaced with such !
September 11, 200816 yr Some really beautiful architecture in the <1950-era fire houses. Comon, the 1979 fire house is a POS station. I would NEVER be proud of that design.
September 11, 200816 yr my god the drop-off in quality over the years is just stunning. and to think generally it's the same for schoohouses, courts, city halls and all the rest over all those years. a shame we think so little of our important civic structures anymore. i mean a firehouse that's a freaking shed? that ain't right.
September 12, 200816 yr I thought I remembered when Hamilton Station 5 was built but I would have been too young to remember if it was '74. Cool thread.
September 13, 200816 yr How 'bout this beauty in my neighborhood in Fort Wayne? Engine House No. 5 was built in 1893 and served until 1959. It stood vacant for a while and then passed through the hands of at least two owners whose projects died a-borning. A couple of years ago Firefighters' Local 124 acquired it and transformed it into their union hall. The refurbishment has modernized the interior for convenience, comfort and modern technology but the exterior has been restored as it originally looked. They've paid amazing attention to detail in their work. One firefighter who does woodworking stripped, extensively repaired and refinished the massive doors.
September 14, 200816 yr Middletown #5 used to be a better looking station until a car crashed into it. The front of it was all glass As a replacement, the placed wood siding around a much smaller window. It is indeed an interesting thread. I had never really given Middletown's historic fire stations much thought. I knew of the Crawford Street Station because it was hard to miss. The only reason that station is still around is because the city for several years after it closed leased it to ACE (ARMCO Car Enthusiasts). The current owners only paid the city like $5000 for it. The other historic Middletown station I stumbled upon. I would curious to know if there were other stations in Middletown that were part of Lemon Township prior to Middletown annexation. I doubt it. Hamilton 6 and 7 are my favorites.
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