Fire Station No. 23 (Los Angeles, California) facts for kids
|
Fire Station No. 23
|
|
Fire Station No. 23, 2008
|
|
 Location in the Los Angeles metropolitan area
Location in California
Location in the United States
|
|
| Location | 225 E. 5th St., Los Angeles, California |
|---|---|
| Built | 1910 |
| Architect | Hudson & Munsell, F.O. Engstrum Co. |
| NRHP reference No. | 80000809 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
|
| Added to NRHP | June 9, 1980 |
Fire Station No. 23 is an old fire station located in Downtown Los Angeles. It was built in 1910 and served as a working fire station for many years. It was also the main office for the Los Angeles Fire Department until 1920. Every fire chief from 1910 to 1928 lived there too.
When it first opened, the station caused a big stir. People were surprised by its fancy inside and expensive materials. They even called it the "Taj Mahal" of firehouses because it was so grand. After 50 years of service, the station closed in 1960. This happened because the fire department started using newer buildings. Since the 1980s, Fire Station No. 23 has become a popular place for filming movies. You might recognize it from films like the Ghostbusters movies, The Mask, and Police Academy 2.
Contents
The Story of Fire Station 23
Early Days and Firefighters
Fire Station No. 23 was a busy firehouse from 1910 to 1960. When it first opened, it had fifteen firefighters and ten horses. The station's first equipment included a horse-drawn wagon and a pumper. This pumper used a special boiler to create steam. The firefighters' first big call was a fire in the old Byrne Building. It took them ten hours to put out that fire!
A Home for Fire Chiefs
This station was also the main office for the fire department from 1910 to 1920. Plus, every fire chief lived there from 1910 to 1928. One of these chiefs was Ralph J. Scott. His wife, Addie Scott, lived with him on the third floor. She remembered the early days of the station. "I remember the horses," she said. "They really knew what to do. When the bell would ring, they would come out and stand there to be hitched up." She also said, "It was a nice life here for us." She even recalled trying to wax the many floors, saying, "This is a lot of floor space you know."
Closing Its Doors
Fire Station No. 23 closed in November 1960. The Los Angeles Fire Department was replacing older stations with new ones. These new stations had more modern equipment. When the station closed, about 1,100 men had worked there over the years. Some of them came to a special ceremony. The building was officially "mustered out of service."
A Special Landmark
Becoming a Historic Site
In 1966, Fire Station No. 23 was named a Historic Cultural Monument. This was done by the Los Angeles Cultural Heritage Commission. At that time, a newspaper called it the "Taj Mahal of fire stations" again. A study of 250 firehouses by the Library of Congress found something amazing. They said Station 23's inside was "unmatched in its beauty." Because of its importance, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1980. This list helps protect important buildings in the United States.
Lights, Camera, Fire Station!
A Star on Screen
After being empty for 18 years, Fire Station No. 23 became popular for filming in 1978. It has been used for movies, TV shows, commercials, and music videos. In 1995, the Los Angeles Times newspaper wrote about it. They said, "With its finely restored interior and turn-of-the-century architecture, old Fire Station 23... is one of the choicest filming locations in town." One movie producer called it "a great raw architectural space." This means it's a cool, old building that can be used for many different scenes.
The first big movie filmed at Station 23 was Hammett in 1982. Two years later, Ghostbusters was filmed there. The station was used for the inside scenes of the Ghostbusters' headquarters. This is where Drs. Venkman, Stantz, Spengler, and Winston Zeddemore worked. Their secretary, Janine Melnitz, was there too. Another fire station in New York was used for the outside shots of the Ghostbusters' building.
The success of Ghostbusters made Fire Station No. 23 even more famous. Since then, it has been used in over 50 productions! Some other movies filmed there include Big Trouble in Little China (1986), Ghostbusters II (1989), The Mask (1994), and Police Academy 2 (1985).
