LAFD, The Plaza Fire Station

Fire House No. 1
The Plaza Fire House
126 Plaza Street
California Historical Landmark No. 730

The Plaza Fire Station was built in 1884 at a cost of $4,665.

The Plaza Firehouse was the first building to be constructed by the City of Los Angeles for housing fire fighting equipment and personnel. The City Council hired architect William Boring to design the structure which was built by Dennis Hennessy. Boring's design followed closely a fashion then current in his native Illinois, with the horses stabled inside the station as was the custom in colder climates. A unique turntable in the floor made it unnecessary to back the horses in or out. Construction began in May, 1884 and was completed by mid-August. Firehouse No. 1 opened for business in September that same year.

For the first two years the station housed 38's Engine Company No.1. The volunteer fire companies also used the area to stage the parades, holiday fireworks displays, monthly inspections and periodic musters which helped to stimulate civic pride. This and the fact that the volunteers continually bickered amongst themselves and some of the companies acted in too independent a fashion, led to the establishment, in December 1885, of the city's first paid Fire Department. The council appointed Walter S. Moore as Fire Chief and the new Board of Fire Commissioners installed another steam engine company (Walter S. Moore Company No. 4) at the Plaza Firehouse with a seven man crew while the Volunteer 38's moved elsewhere or disbanded.

Golden Bricks, by Captain Robert N. Foster
THE FIREMAN'S GRAPEVINE, June 1956

Restoration Has Begun, by Captain Robert N. Foster
THE FIREMAN'S GRAPEVINE, June 1959
Los Angeles Re-Opens Old Plaza Station
THE FIREMAN'S GRAPEVINE, November 1960
The Company That Went to Blazes, by Paul Ditzel
THE FIREMEN'S GRAPEVINE, September 1964
WRITTEN HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE DATA
AMERICAN MEMORY LIBRARY of CONGRESS
Historic American Buildings Survey/Historical American Engineering Record

Los Angeles Public Library
Early Los Angeles

Looking toward Plaza along "Nigger Alley"

Looking north toward the Plaza along "Nigger Alley," originally called "Calle de los Negros," which became part of Los Angeles Street, ca. 1882. The Lugo House is seen with hipped roof and dormer windows, and, on left, is the cupola and flag pole of the Plaza Station.

1868
Adobes on Los Angeles Street

A row of adobes on Los Angeles Street south of Commercial Street belonging to Don Manuel Pequena, in the Nigger Alley area east of the plaza.

China Town adobes

Adobes on Los Angeles Street in Nigger Alley (Calle de los Negroes), formerly owned and occupied by the Mexican owners of the various Los Angeles area ranchos and later occupied by Chinese people.

Nigger Alley adobes
1886

Adobes in Calle de los Negroes (mistakenly called Nigger Alley) in 1886, at the corner of Los Angeles and Aliso Streets, formerly the city homes of Mexican rancheros

Fire House No. 1 Plaza Fire House 126 Plaza Street
Volunteer 38's Engine Company No. 1 Engine Company No. 1 Walter S. Moore Engine Company No. 4 vacant Chemical Company No. 1 unknown building use Purchased by State of California Designated as California Historical Landmark No. 730	September 16, 1884 - February 1, 1886 February 1, 1886 - 1887 1887 - 1890 1890 - 1891 1891 - October 1, 1897 1897 - 1950 1950