Home Los Angeles Public Library Photo Collection City of Los Angeles Fire Department Headquarters
City of Los Angeles Fire Department Headquarters
Title City of Los Angeles Fire Department Headquarters
Photographer Reagh, William.
Collection ID William Reagh Collection
Los Angeles Photographers Collection
Location/Accession A-005-306 4x5
Physical Description 1 photographic print :b&w ;21 x 26 cm.
Historical Data In September of 1871, George M. Fall, the County Clerk for Los Angeles County organized Engine Company No. 1. This volunteer firefighting force disbanded in 1874 after the City Council refused to purchase horses to pull the fire engine and hose jumper - equipment that had previously been hand-drawn to fires. Soon after, many of the former members reorganized under the name of Thirty-Eights-No. 1. In May 1875, Engine Co. No. 2 was organized under the name Confidence Engine Company. In 1877, the first horses were bought for the fire department. In 1878, a third fire company was formed and was named Park Hose Co. No. 1. Five years later, in 1883, the East Los Angeles Hose Co. No. 2 was formed. And the final volunteer company, called Morris Vineyard Hose Co. No. 3, forming in the fall of 1883. All of these companies remained in service until February 1, 1886, when the present paid Los Angeles Fire Department came into existence. When it was officially formed, it had 4 fire stations, 2 steam fire engines, 2 hose reels, a hose wagon, a 65' aerial ladder truck, 31 paid firefighters, 24 reserve firefighters, and 11 horses to protect 30 square miles and a population of 50,000. Today, the LAFD has 106 fire stations and nearly 3,600 uniformed personnel offering fire prevention, firefighting, emergency medical care, technical rescue, hazardous materials mitigation, disaster response, public education and community service to a resident population of more than 4 million people who live in the agency's 471 square mile jurisdiction.
Description View of the "old" Los Angeles Fire Department Headquarter building (4-story corner building with three arches), located at 217 S. Hill Street, between 2nd and 3rd streets - now abandoned. Engine Company No. 3 was formed in 1887, and operated out of 114 W. Third Street until 1893. Truck Company "B" also operated from this located during that time. Engine Co. #3 relocated to 410-412 N. Main Street from 1893-1894; then relocated again from 1900-1901 to 346-348 S. Hill Street; and on December 16, 1901 moved for a fourth time, to 217 S. Hill Street (pictured). Cost of the land in 1901 was {dollar}15,000, and cost of the building was estimated at {dollar}30,000. A new, larger building was erected in the same location on July 1, 1924 at a cost of {dollar}234,851; the main building measured 36,768 sq. ft, with the station measuring 29,428 sq. ft. A new annex, office and garage were added to this building on January 23, 1950. Finally, Engine Company No. 3 relocated for the last time to 108 N. Fremont Avenue, and has operated from that address from 1980 to the present.
Subject Los Angeles (Calif.).--Fire Department.
Fire station closings--California--Los Angeles.
Engine companies--California--Los Angeles.
Fire stations--California--Los Angeles.
Streets--California--Los Angeles.
Sub-Collection Name Los Angeles Photographers Photo Collection