Ladder 1's company and apparatus at 152 Friend St., with the original firehouse facade, c. 1868. 
Ladder 1's firehouse at 152 Friend Street, Downtown, circa 1887. 
Ladder 1's new firehouse at 152 Friend St., Downtown, circa 1895. 
Ladder 1's firehouse at 152 Friend St., Downtown, after 1907 renovation, circa 1920. |
HISTORYThe original firehouse at 152 Friend St. was a converted primary school building into which Ladder 1 moved on March 14, 1853. Ladder 1 moved in from its former quarters across the street at Friend & Markets Sts. Ladder Company 1 was quartered in this immediate vicinity since it was organized in a shed on Merrimac St. on August 4, 1820. The firehouse was located at Warren Square, Downtown. The site today is roughly at the intersection of Congress Street and New Chardon Street, near the Haymarket MBTA Station. A new firehouse was built on this site in 1894. In 1907, the firehouse was renovated. For the 1907 renovation, the city contracted with John J. Ryan to rebuild the firehouse for a price of $2484. The entire front of the firehouse above the first floor was rebuilt. On October 1, 1919, Ladder 1 was changed from a horse-drawn ladder truck to a motorized 1919 front-drive American LaFrance 75ft aerial ladder truck. On October 17, 1933, Ladder 1 moved out and into the new firehouse located at Bowdoin Square, about 3 blocks up the hill from 152 Friend St. The old firehouse at 152 Friend Street was demolished at a later date. 
1895 map showing the location of the firehouse at 152 Friend Street, Downtown. 
1893 newspaper story reporting problems with Ladder 1's firehouse at 152 Friend St., Downtown. |