3010 Minnehaha Avenue South: Fire Station No. 21

, The story of Fire Station No. 21 begins in 1894, when fire engines were large wagons pulled by a team of horses that transported firemen and equipment. Until 1901, the station had only a "chemical engine," an extinguisher unit meant to contain the fire until steamers and hose wagons arrived from a better equipped station. By 1912, the station had grown to house 13 firefighters, seven horses, and a combined chemical and hose wagon. For most of the fire station's existence, residents reported fires through alarm boxes placed around the neighborhood. The Minneapolis Fire Department occupied the building until 1961. During a 1999 renovation of the building, the original firehouse floor was revealed, its 12-inch-wide oak planks still bearing the impressions of horseshoes.,