Engine House
a.k.a. Auburn Central Fire Station
Court and Spring Sts., Auburn, MEIn July of 1849, the Lewiston Falls Village Corporation was chartered by the legislature for the fire protection of the area's citizens. Leviston Falls comprised a small area of the present town of Lewiston, (a built-up section near North Bridge), then a part of Lincoln County. Auburn was north of Court Street and Danville was the area to the south. The three towns converged at the midpoint in the Falls and the original Firestation was located where the Mid-Maine Mutual Bank stands today. This location was the sight of the first Engine House housing Excelsior #2. The Village Corporation, under its charter, collected taxes from the property owners within the village corporation to operate and maintain Androscoggin and Excelsior #2 hand engines. This corporation was dissolved in 1856 and separate village corporations were formed.
The fire protection was then provided by the Auburn Village Corporation. In addition, this corporation built reservoirs under the streets to collect the necessary water for the engines. On August 31, 1859, this corporation purchased a site at "the corner of Picard St. and the Road to Minot" (presently known as Spring Street and Court Street). They paid the Franklin Company $300.00 and it is assumed they moved the Engine House up the hill to this new location, the present site. There is no record of why they moved it but it may be assumed that a hand-drawn engine could better respond from the physical vantage point of a hilltop. On March 18, 1667, the town of Auburn purchased the Village Corp.
On September 15, 1870, the city of Auburn voted to buy an Amoskeag Steam Engine to be drawn by horses. This required a new building to be constructed on the Engine House lot. The original firehouse was demolished and records for November 12, 1870, show that the town appropriated $6500.00 to build the Engine House to accommodate:
Amoskeag Steam Engineknown as Auburn Co #1
Hunneman Hand Engine known as Excelsior Co #2
Two Hose reels
The horses, while stabled here, were the property of the Street Department and they responded to the fire alarm abandoning whatever town job they were engaged in. A Street Department employee designated was responsible for bringing the Steam Engine to the location of the fire but did not engage in extinguishing the blaze.
This Engine House was destroyed by fire on December 7, 1878, probably by boys smoking hayseed in the stable section of the building. The record states the fire was discovered at 4 P.M. and the Engine House and 3 buildings on Spring and Court Streets were destroyed. Eleven months later and at a cost of $8,410.93, the new brick Engine House was opened. It was patterned after the frame structure and is the present building. The equipment owned by the City of Auburn and maintained at the Engine House was stated to be
Hose Wagon & Horse
Hose reel & 2 horses
One Steamer and 2 horses
One Hook and Ladder truck
In 1891, the first full-time fireman was appointed. His name is recorded in the City Auditor's report as William Bailey. In January of 1895, designated drivers of horses for the highway department were required to sleep in the Engine House and be paid an additional $10.00 per month. Firemen were on call and paid only if there was a fire. Some of the call men did report at 8p.m.to the Engine House and they were called Sleepers, remaining there till 5 a.m. From 1890 to 1920 and 8 p.m. test signal sounded in both cities. When the bells rang in the Engine House, lights came on, horses stepped to the ready and the swing harnesses were fastened. People came each evening to observe the 8 p.m. test.
In June of 1903, a Combination Hose and Chemical Wagon was purchased by the city of Auburn from the combination Ladder Co. of Providence, R.I. for $1917.00. The water in the tank containing bicarbonate of soda and sulphuric acid from a separate container was added to the main tank to create gas pressure to dispense the water. At this time, a second full-time fireman was added along with a full-time pair of horses. The Municipal Report of 1904 indicates that the fire station boasted:
One chemical wagon with 2 men & 2 horses full time.
Two hose wagons.
One Ladder truck.
One steam engine.
The report also noted that the call men petitioned the city council for a pay increase from $75.00 to $100.00 per year. It was not granted.
The horse-drawn rig of 1903 was replaced by a motorized unit in 1914. The second motorized hose & chemical wagon was introduced in 1917, eliminating a horse-drawn hose unit. In 1923, two motorized pumping engines replaced the steam engine of 1870. The ladder truck became a motorized unit in 1927 and ended the use of horses.
The Engine House continued to be used as a fire station until 1971 which date it has been used as a storage facility by the city until its recent purchase by a private owner. The building represents a special part of Auburn's history and is well documented by photographs and records. Local significance of the building:
Listed in National Register of Historic Places in 1978.
The National Register of Historic Places is the official list of the Nation’s historic places worthy of preservation. Authorized by the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, the National Park Service’s National Register of Historic Places is part of a national program to coordinate and support public and private efforts to identify, evaluate, and protect America’s historic and archeological resources.