Central Fire Station

Built in 1901, Central Fire Station serves as the headquarters of the Davenport Fire Department. It is the oldest continuously used fire station west of the Mississippi River. It was designed in the Italianate style and also incorporates elements of the Neoclassical style. The building's most notable features are the two towers over the main entrance; fire hoses are hung to dry in the taller one. A large addition was built in 2016 to provide more space for administrative offices, bedrooms, and a new lounge. The original part of the station was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1982.

Volunteer firefighting companies began to operate in Davenport in the mid-1850s. They were generally poorly equipped and dispersed throughout the city in inadequate buildings. Finally, in 1880 the city determined that a paid, professional fire department was required to properly service the growing city, which by that time was over 21,000. The fire department was officially established in 1882 and by 1900 there were six hose companies as well as a citywide alarm system and fire hydrant network. Central Fire Station was built to accommodate the growing needs of the city, particularly in the downtown area.

Svendsen, Marlys A. "Central Fire Station." National Park Service - National Register of Historic Places Nomination Form. April 22, 1982.  https://npgallery.nps.gov/GetAsset/b20e23f3-a2e1-4d8d-add9-8474f94bef19.

Wellner, Brian. "Historic downtown Central Fire Station to double in size." Quad-City Times. February 24, 2015. https://qctimes.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/historic-downtown-central-fire-station-to-double-in-size/article_166f8004-09af-59d8-92db-46062154b8a3.html.

Photos: Wikimedia Commons
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Central_Fire_Station_(Davenport,_Iowa)