Minneapolis Fire Department Repair Shop facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Minneapolis Fire Department Repair Shop
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The repair shop's 1922 addition
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 Location in Minnesota
Location in the United States
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| Location | 24 University Ave. NE and 222 First Ave. NE, Minneapolis, Minnesota |
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| Built | 1910 |
| Architect | Downs & Eads |
| Architectural style | Early Commercial |
| NRHP reference No. | 05000447 |
| Added to NRHP | May 19, 2005 |
The Minneapolis Fire Department Repair Shop is a special building in Minneapolis, Minnesota. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2005. This means it's an important historical place worth protecting. The city of Minneapolis created this shop to help the fire department work better. It also helped change old fire equipment that was pulled by horses into new vehicles with motors.
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The Minneapolis Fire Department Repair Shop
This building was very important for the Minneapolis Fire Department. It helped them get organized and bring all their services together in one place. Imagine a time when fire trucks were pulled by horses! This shop was where those horse-drawn vehicles were changed into modern, motorized fire engines.
Building Fire Trucks
Between 1929 and 1932, the repair shop did something amazing. They built eight large fire pumpers. These are special trucks that pump water to fight fires. At the time, regular car parts weren't strong enough for fire trucks.
So, the Minneapolis Fire Department visited the Milwaukee Fire Department. They wanted to learn how Milwaukee was building its own fire trucks. After learning, the Minneapolis shop started building its own pumpers.
How the Fire Trucks Were Built
The shop used parts from a company called Four Wheel Drive. This company made the engines, the parts that make the wheels turn (called drivetrains), and the suspension. The Minneapolis Fire Department shop then added the truck frames, the bodywork, and all the special equipment for fighting fires. They also put all the parts together.
These fire trucks looked a bit unusual and were hard to steer. But they were very strong! Some of these pumpers were used by the fire department until 1955. That's a long time for a vehicle to be in service!
What Is It Now?
As of 2014, the old repair shop building has been updated. It is now a place with businesses inside. You can find a restaurant and bar there, along with offices. It's a great example of how old buildings can be given new life!
