Adrian in Lenawee County, Michigan — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)
Adrian Fire Department / Adrian Engine House No. 1
Photographed By Joel Seewald, April 8, 2017
1. Adrian Fire Department / Adrian Engine House No. 1 Marker
Adrian Fire Department
Adrian founded its fire department in 1841. By 1851, it had 102 male volunteers, who served in two companies. They pulled hand pumpers and hose carts to fires, using water from city-built reservoirs. In 1867, the city began to use horses to pull its steam engines. Drivers were the only paid staff from 1867 until 1918, when the city hired its first firemen. Beginning in 1912, the city bought motorized fire trucks and retired its horses.
Adrian Engine House No. 1
In 1855, local architect and builder O.P. Smith designed and constructed Engine House No. 1. An 1867 renovation increased the hose-drying tower's height from twenty to seventy feet, making it a town landmark. Italianate elements are included in the Romanesque Revival building. When the Fire Department stopped using the engine house in 1987, it was Michigan's oldest fire hall in continuous use. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1989.
Erected 2014 by Michigan Historical Commission - Michigan Historical Center. (Marker Number L2263.)
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Location. 41° 53.827′ N, 84° 2.17′ W. Marker is in Adrian, Michigan, in Lenawee County. Marker is on East Church Street (State Highway 52). Marker is about 300 feet east of Main Street. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 126 East Church Street, Adrian MI 49221, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. A Bench By The Road (within shouting distance of this marker); Laura Smith Haviland (within shouting distance of this marker); Laura Haviland (within shouting distance of this marker); The Antislavery - Underground Railroad Movement (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); Frank Navin & The Detroit Tigers (about 400 feet away); Adrian Union Hall (about 600 feet away); Adrian's Governors (about 600 feet away); Adrian & The Republican Party (about 600 feet away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Adrian.
Photographed By Joel Seewald, April 8, 2017
2. Adrian Fire Department / Adrian Engine House No. 1 Marker
Photographed By Joel Seewald, April 8, 2017
3. Adrian Fire Department / Adrian Engine House No. 1 Marker
Credits. This page was last revised on December 7, 2020. It was originally submitted on April 17, 2017, by Joel Seewald of Madison Heights, Michigan. This page has been viewed 275 times since then and 38 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on April 17, 2017, by Joel Seewald of Madison Heights, Michigan.
