Vigilant Firehouse History
On a sunny June day in 1891, a boy ran up to the firemen sitting in front of their fire station, eager to alert them by shouting, "Fire, fire!" while pointing to the roof. Despite the fire station's presence, the building was tragically destroyed by flames. Concerned about the safety of his mansion—where the Convenient is now located—a wealthy neighbor stepped in to help preserve the fire station history; he financed the construction of the Vigilant Firehouse with a generous donation of $6000.
1890s: The photo above and to the right likely shows the Vigilant Firehouse and its equipment during its first decade, illustrating an important part of fire station history. The sign over the doors reads "Truck Co. No. 1, Engine Co. No. 2." Note that the doors are hinged on their sides and open from the middle, a fascinating detail in the building history.
In the building history of the 1930-40s, note the non-institutional looking transom above the nearest fire door at the Vigilant Firehouse, an interesting aspect of fire station history.
1970s? Below: A nearly modern fire engine half-way out of the firehouse. This photo captures a moment from the building history of the Vigilant Firehouse, before it was moved in 1976. Note the top of the bell tower, an important aspect of fire station history, which has since disappeared.
The Lost Years
On a sunny June day in 1891, a boy ran up to the firemen sitting in front of their fire station, eager to alert them by shouting, "Fire, fire!" while pointing to the roof. Despite the fire station's presence, the building was tragically destroyed by flames. Concerned about the safety of his mansion—where the Convenient is now located—a wealthy neighbor stepped in to help preserve the fire station history; he financed the construction of the Vigilant Firehouse with a generous donation of $6000.