Old Central Fire Station (Pittsfield, Massachusetts) facts for kids
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Old Central Fire Station
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U.S. Historic district
Contributing property |
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 Location in Massachusetts
Location in the United States
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| Location | 66 Allen St., Pittsfield, Massachusetts |
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| Area | less than one acre |
| Built | 1895 |
| Architect | E.J. Cowell |
| Architectural style | Queen Anne, Romanesque |
| Part of | Park Square Historic District (ID91001826) |
| NRHP reference No. | 77000177 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | November 2, 1977 |
| Designated CP | December 23, 1991 |
The Old Central Fire Station is a very old and important building in Pittsfield, Massachusetts. It is located at 66 Allen Street. Built in 1895, it is the oldest fire station still standing in the city. This building is a great example of a style called Romanesque architecture. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1977. This means it is recognized as a special historical place. Later, in 1991, it became part of the Park Square Historic District. Today, the building is no longer a fire station. It is now used for offices.
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The Old Central Fire Station
What is the Old Central Fire Station?
The Old Central Fire Station is a historic building in downtown Pittsfield. It is located near the Old Town Hall. The building is mostly made of brick. It was built in a style known as Richardsonian Romanesque. This style often uses strong, rounded arches.
A Look Inside the Fire Station
The building has two floors. It also has a tall tower, about 60 feet (18 meters) high. This tower was used for drying fire hoses. The station has four large openings, called equipment bays. These bays were where the fire trucks were kept. The outer bays have big round arches. The inner bays have slightly different, segmented arches. This fire station was the first in the city to have stables for horses. Horses were very important back then. They pulled the fire engines to emergencies.
A Long History of Firefighting
The area where the fire station stands has been used by fire companies since about 1844. Before this building, another fire station was across the street. That building was destroyed by fire in 1859. The Old Central Fire Station was built in 1895. It was designed by E.J. Cowell. He was the city's building inspector and also designed many local houses.
After this new station was built, the old building across the street was used by the Veteran Fireman's Association. It was torn down in the 1930s. The Old Central Fire Station served as a fire station until 1976. After that, it was used to store city vehicles. Now, it holds the offices of a local group. This group works to help the economy grow in the area.
 | Delilah Pierce |
 | Gordon Parks |
 | Augusta Savage |
 | Charles Ethan Porter |
