Guide to the Seattle Fire Department Station House Records
1903-1984

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Table of Contents
  Overview of the Collection
   
  Historical Note
   
  Other Descriptive Information
   
  Content Description
   
Use of the Collection
   
Administrative Information
   
Detailed Description of the Collection

 

Seattle Fire Department Station House Records

  Subjects

Overview of the Collection

Creator: Seattle (Wash.). Fire Dept.
Title: Station House Records
Dates: 1903-1984 ( inclusive )
Quantity: 8.2 cubic ft. (21 boxes)
Collection Number: 2801-05
Summary: Records relating to the physical structures and maintenance of Seattle Fire Department station houses.
Repository: Seattle Municipal Archives

PO Box 94728
600 Fourth Avenue, Floor 3
Seattle, WA 98124-4728
Phone: 206/233-7807
Email: archives@seattle.gov
http://www.seattle.gov/cityarchives

Languages: Collection materials are in English. 
Sponsor: Funding for encoding this finding aid was provided through a grant awarded by the National Endowment for the Humanities.

Historical Note

A Fire Department was established by City Charter in 1883. It provided for equipment purchases, but not for hiring of firefighters. Following the Great Fire of 1889, a professional fire department was created with five district fire stations and purchase of a fire boat. The first Fire Chief of the professional department was Gardner Kellogg, who served 1890-1892 and 1895-1901. A Board of Fire Commissioners was established by the 1890 City Charter to prescribe rules and regulations for the Department. The Board's responsibilities included enforcing rules violations and appointing the Fire Chief and all subordinate officers. The Board was abolished with passage of a new City Charter in 1896.

Content Description

This record series contains information about the physical structures of the station houses of the Seattle Fire Department. Types of materials include correspondence, memoranda, maintenance requests, architectural drawings and photographs. The records contain some materials related to personnel and community relations issues. New station planning materials, including building drawings and appraisal reports, are included for some stations. Requisitions for station amenities make up a large portion of the records, including requests for basketball hoops, new lockers, electricity or telephone service. Maintenance of the building makes up a large portion, in the form of inspection reports, repair requests and some materials regarding WISHA violations. Documentation outlining damage to the station house is also prevalent, including broken windows and doors, vandalism, automobile collisions and theft. The files are organized by station house number as designated by the Fire Department.

Other Descriptive Information

Station House Locations

Although not an authoritative list, the following is a list of fire stations included in the records series and their locations by street address.

1: 7th and Columbia

2: 4th and Battery

4: 26th Ave SW and SW Florida

5: 925 Alaskan Way

6: 23rd Avenue and Yesler Way

7: 15th Ave E. and E. Harrison St.

8: Warren Ave. and Lee St.

9: Linden Ave. and N. 39th St.

9-1: 8729 15th Ave NE

10: 301 2nd Ave S.

11: 4423 Densmore Avenue

12: 16th SW and SW Holden

13: 3601 Beacon Avenue

16: 6846 Oswego Place

17: 1020 East 50th Street

26: 8201 10th Avenue South

27: 6210 13th Avenue South

28: 5968 Rainier Avenue

29: 2127 Ferry Avenue

30: 2931 Winthrope

32: 4321 West Alaska Street

33: 10235 62nd South

34: 633 32nd Avenue N.

36: 2219 W. Spokane St.

37: 7300 35th Ave SW

38: 5501 33rd Ave NE

Use of the Collection

Restrictions on Access :  

Records are open to the public.

Preferred Citation :  

[Item and date], Seattle Fire Department Station House Records, Record Series 2801-05. Box [number], Folder [number]. Seattle Municipal Archives.

Administrative Information

Arrangement :

The collection is arranged in numerical order by station number.

Detailed Description of the Collection

The following section contains a detailed listing of the materials in the collection.

Seattle Fire Department Station House Records, 1903-1984
Container(s)
Description
Dates
Box/Folder
1/1 Building Department Correspondence 1908-1924
1/2 Building Department Correspondence 1925-1931
1/3 Building Department Correspondence 1960-1965
1/4 Fire Alarm Headquarters 1908-1962
1/5 Fire Apparatus Maintenance Shop (includes architectural drawings) 1971-1977
1/6 Station No. 1 1909-1937
1/7 Station No. 2 -- WISHA Citation 1976-1977
1/8 Station No. 2 - Inspection and Maintenance 1967-1975
2/1 Station No. 2 1904-1930
2/2 Station No. 2 1931-1952
2/3 Station No. 2 1953-1963
2/4 Station No. 2 1964-1983
2/5 Station No. 3 1978
2/6 Station No. 4 - Planning (includes photographs) 1969-1971
2/7 Station No. 4 - Includes vicinity plan 1971-1975
2/8 New Fire Station No. 4 [includes photographs] 1970-1983
3/1 Station No. 4 -- Land Acquisition 1964-1984
3/2 Station No. 4 -- Misc. Drawings, etc. [photographs and architectural drawings) 1966-1968
3/3 Station No. 5 1911-1934
3/4 Station No. 5 1936-1972
3/5 Station No. 5 1959-1972
3/6 Station No. 5 1969-1975
4/1 Station No. 5 (new) 1970-1973
4/2 Station No. 5 1966-1983
4/3 Station No. 5 Float [includes architectural drawings] 1975-1983
4/4 Station 5-1 1959-1960
4/5 Station No. 6 (includes photographs) 1911-1979
4/6 Station No. 6 - Inspection and Repair (includes architectural drawings) 1968-1975
4/7 Station No. 7 1908-1968
4/8 Station No. 8 (new) 1963-1970
4/9 Station No. 8 1908-1980
4/10 Station No. 8 - Inspection and Repair 1969-1975
5/1 Station No. 9 (includes photographs) 1910-1983
5/2 Station No. 9 - Inspection and Repair 1969-1975
5/3 Station No. 9-1 - Crown Hill 1955-1973
5/4 Station No. 10 (includes 1928 specifications) 1903-1950
5/5 Fire Station No. 10 1928-1938
5/6 Station No. 10 1938-1958
5/7 Station No. 10 1961-1982
6/1 Station No. 10 1963-1968
6/2 Station No. 10 1966-1975
6/3 Station No. 10 1971
6/4 New Fire Station N. 10 1974-1979
6/5 Station No. 10 - Heating 1932-1969
6/6 Station No. 10 -- Elevator File 1974
6/7 Station No. 10 -- Violations and Appeal [includes photos] 1976-1977
6/8 Station No. 10 -- WISHA citation 1976-1977
6/9 Station No. 11 1912-1971
7/1 Station No. 11 (includes appraisal) 1968-1972
7/2 Station No. 11 (includes architectural drawings) 1969-1971
7/3 Station No. 11 (includes photographs) 1970-1978
7/4 Station No. 12 (includes photograph) 1912-1971
7/5 Station No. 12 - Inspection and Repair 1969-1971
7/6 Station No. 13 1910-1978
8/1 Station No. 13 - Inspection and Repair 1968-1975
8/2 Station No. 14 [includes blueprint] 1907-1937
8/3 Station No. 14 1938-1982
8/4 Station No. 14 (to accommodate 19) 1966-1967
8/5 Station No. 14 - Maintenance and Repair (includes plans for addition) 1969-1971
8/6 Station No. 14 - Repair 1971-1977
8/7 Station No. 15 1909-1972
9/1 Station No. 15 - 1933 Minor Ave. - Maintenance (includes photographs and architectural drawings by Fred B. Stephen) 1951-1972
9/2 Station No. 16 1907-1981
9/3 Station No. 16 - Inspection and Repair 1968-1975
9/4 Station No. 17 1939-1984
9/5 Station No. 17 1907-1962
9/6 Station No. 17 - Inspection and Repair 1968-1975
9/7 Station No. 18 - Includes 1910 architectural drawings and photograph 1969-1973
10/1 Station No. 18 1909-1955
10/2 Station No. 18 1955-1974
10/3 New Fire Station No. 18 1968-1971
10/4 New Fire Station No. 18 1972-1981
10/5 Station No. 19 1907-1963
10/6 Station No. 19 [includes property appraisal] 1966-1970
10/7 Station No. 19 - Planning 1969-1972
11/1 Station No. 19 - S. Spokane St 1971-1975
11/2 Station No. 19 1971-1979
11/3 Station No. 19 (includes polaroid photographs) 1976-1981
11/4 Station No. 19 -- Corres. Re: replacement due to WS bridge 1980
11/5 Station No. 19 -- Removal for bridge 1979-1980
11/6 Station No. 20 1909-1974
11/7 Station No. 20 - Inspection and Repair 1969-1975
11/8 Station No. 21 1909-1981
11/9 Station No. 21 - Inspection and Repair 1909-1981
12/1 Station No. 22 1908-1970
12/2 Station No. 22 1957-1979
12/3 Station No. 22 - Inspection and Repair 1969-1975
12/4 Station No. 24 1954-1983
12/5 Station No. 24 - American La France Elevated Platform 1968-1970
12/6 Station No. 24 - Planning (includes property appraisal) 1969-1975
12/7 Station No. 25 1908-1952
12/8 Station No. 25 1941-1973
13/1 Station No. 25 (includes property appraisal) 1963-1969
13/2 Station No. 25 - dedication 1969-1970
13/3 Station No. 25 (includes photographs) 1970-1971
13/4 Station No. 25 - Drapes 1971-1973
13/5 Station No. 25 - Inspection and Repair 1971-1977
13/6 Station No. 25 1970-1981
13/7 Station No. 26 -- Sawdust Fire 1937-1944
13/7 Station No. 26 1911-1962
13/9 New Fire Station No. 26 1968-1981
14/1 Station No. 26 - Planning (includes photographs) 1971-1972
14/2 Station No. 26 - Maintenance (includes photograph) 1971-1975
14/3 Station No. 27 1910-1972
14/4 Station No. 27 - Architectural Drawings and Photographs 1968
14/5 Station No. 27 - Planning 1968-1971
14/6 Station No. 27 - Bell 1970
14/7 Station No. 27 (includes photographs) 1968-1976
14/8 Station No. 27 - Inspection and Repair 1970-1975
15/1 Station No. 28 1911-1979
15/2 Station No. 28 - Inspection and Repair 1963-1971
15/3 Station No. 28 - Inspection and Repair 1970-1975
15/4 Station No. 29 1909-1969
15/5 Station No. 29 - includes property appraisal 1968-1971
15/6 Station No. 29 1968-1971
15/7 Station No. 29 - includes photographs 1969-1981
15/8 Station No. 29 - Inspection and Repair (includes photograph) 1970-1975
16/1 Station No. 30 - includes alteration plans 1913-1980
16/2 Station No. 30 - inspection and repair 1971-1975
16/3 Station No. 31 1946-1975
16/4 Station No. 31 - Planning - includes photographs 1963-1973
16/5 New Fire Station No. 31 [includes appraisal report] 1967-1972
16/6 Station No. 31 - Planning-( includes slides, architectural drawings) 1972-1975
16/7 New Fire Station No. 31 1973-1984
17/1 Station No. 32 1913-1973
17/2 Station No. 32 1964-1968
17/3 Station No. 32 ( includes photographs) 1970-1979
17/4 Station No. 33 1913-1951
17/5 Station No. 33 1952-1973
17/6 Station No. 33 - Construction and Maintenance 1969-1975
17/7 Station No. 33 - Planning 1970-1972
17/8 New Fire Station No. 33 1968-1983
18/1 Station No. 34 1914-1972
18/2 Station No. 34 - Planning - includes photographs and architectural drawings 1968-1970
18/3 Station No. 34 - includes photographs 1971
18/4 Station No. 34 -- Inspection and Repair 1971-1975
18/5 Station No. 34 - includes property appraisal 1969-1979
18/6 Station No. 35 1908-1968
18/7 Station No. 35 -- Inspection and Repair 1970-1975
19/1 Station No. 36 1926-1959
19/2 Station No. 36 (includes photograph) 1960-1972
19/3 New Station No. 36 [includes appraisal] 1967-1970
19/4 Station No. 36 1967-1972
19/5 Station No. 36 - Inspection and Repair 1972-1975
19/6 New Station No. 36 1971-1984
19/7 Station No. 37 1909-1978
19/8 Station No. 37 [Inspection and Repair] 1970-1975
19/9 Station No. 38 1931-1953
19/10 Station No. 38 1954-1959
20/1 Station No. 38 (includes specifications) 1930-1967
20/2 Station No. 38 - Inspection and Repair 1970-1975
20/3 Station No. 38 1977-1979
20/4 Station No. 39 1929-1971
20/5 Station No. 39 1954-1977
20/6 Station No. 39 1972-1975
20/7 Station No. 39 1970-1975
20/8 Station No. 40 1929-1981
20/9 Station No. 40 1967-1968
20/10 Station No. 41 -(includes architectural drawings) 1931-1953
20/11 Station No. 41 1954-1974
20/12 Station No. 41 - Inspection and Repair 1970-1975
21/1 New Fire Station No. 42 1972-1973
21/2 Services Facility 1950-1963
21/3 Services Facility 1970-1972

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Subjects

This collection is indexed under the following headings in the online catalog. Researchers desiring materials about related topics, persons, or places should search the catalog using these headings.

  • Corporate Names :
  • Seattle (Wash.). Fire Dept.
  • Geographical Names :
  • Seattle (Wash.).--Politics and government
  • Subject Terms :
  • Fire stations--Maintenance and repair--Washington (State)--Seattle
  • Fire stations--Washington (State)--Seattle
    • Form or Genre Terms :
    • Architectural drawings
    • Correspondence
    • Memorandums
    • Photographic prints
    • Occupations :
    • Fire fighters--Washington (State)--Seattle

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    Finding aid prepared by Anne Frantilla
    ©2004