Historic Firehouses of Louisville facts for kids

The Historic Firehouses of Louisville are a special group of old fire stations in Louisville, Kentucky. There are 18 of these historic buildings. They were added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1980 and 1981 because they are important for their history and how they were built.
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Louisville's Firefighting Story
Louisville started its first fire brigades in 1780. That was just two years after the city was created! At first, these fire stations were run by volunteer fire departments all over the city.
On June 1, 1858, the city of Louisville took over. They changed from hand-powered engines to five steam engines. The volunteers were replaced with paid firefighters. The city started with three fire stations, 65 professional firefighters, and 23 horses.
Oldest Firehouses Still Standing
Many of the first firehouses were torn down as the city grew and changed. The oldest firehouse still standing was actually a church built in 1848. In 1869, the city turned this two-story brick building in Phoenix Hill into a fire station.
Three other old firehouses that are still around were built in the 1870s and 1880s:
- Steam Engine Co. #7 in Limerick (built 1871)
- Steam Engine Co. #10 in Butchertown (built 1873)
- The Rogers Street Firehouse in Irish Hill (built 1883)
Longest Running Fire Station
Engine Company 7, located at 6th & York Streets, is very special. It was formed on October 7, 1871, as the Louisville Steam Engine Co. 7. It is the oldest firehouse in the United States that has been running continuously! However, it was planned to close in January 2009 to help save money for the city.
Former Fire Department Headquarters
In the 1890s, a very important firehouse was built in Downtown Louisville. This was the Fire Department Headquarters at 617 W. Jefferson Street, built in 1891. It was designed by the McDonald Brothers, who also designed other important buildings in Louisville.
The current fire department headquarters was built in 1936. It is located at 1135 W. Jefferson Street. This building was constructed by the WPA, which was a government program that created jobs during the Great Depression. This building is made of limestone and is one of the few buildings in Louisville built in the Art Deco style. After the fire department moved out, the old headquarters became a police office.
Historic Firehouses List
Here is a list of some of the historic firehouses in Louisville: