Quinsigamond Firehouse facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Quinsigamond Firehouse
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| Location | 15 Blackstone River Rd., Worcester, Massachusetts |
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| Area | less than one acre |
| Built | 1892 |
| Architect | Patston & Lincoln |
| Architectural style | Romanesque |
| MPS | Worcester MRA |
| NRHP reference No. | 80000495 |
| Added to NRHP | March 05, 1980 |
The Quinsigamond Firehouse is a very old and important fire station building. You can find it at 15 Blackstone River Road in Worcester, Massachusetts. It was finished in 1892 and is a great example of Romanesque architecture in the area. This building served as a local fire station for over 100 years, until 1994. Because of its history, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1980. After being empty for many years, there have been talks about fixing it up in 2013 and 2017.
Exploring the Quinsigamond Firehouse
The Quinsigamond Firehouse is one of the important buildings in the center of Quinsigamond village. This village is located in southern Worcester. The firehouse stands on the east side of Blackstone River Road. It is right across from the local elementary school.
What Does the Firehouse Look Like?
The firehouse is made of red bricks. It is about two and a half stories tall. The roof has a special shape called a gable-on-hip roof. The front of the building has a large opening on the ground floor. This opening was for the fire trucks. Thin windows are on each side of this main opening. A band of brownstone trim is above them.
The second floor has three windows in the middle. These windows have rounded tops. Single windows with round arches are on either side. A special wall section called a dormer rises above. It has three windows arranged in a Palladian style. This forms part of a decorative wall at the top.
A Look Back at Its History
The Quinsigamond Firehouse was designed by a team called Patston & Lincoln. It was built between 1891 and 1892. O. C. Ward was the builder, and it cost $7,112 back then. This firehouse looks similar to two other fire stations built around the same time in the city. However, it is special because it has a second story and a unique window design on its gable.
The fire station was used by firefighters until 1994. That's when a brand new fire station was built on McKeon Street. Since then, the old Quinsigamond Firehouse has been empty. People have suggested fixing up the building, with the most recent idea in 2017.