A New Life for a Historic Fire Station
Written by Doug Tracy
Engine House No. 6 built in 1892.
Photo: Columbus Metropolitan Library
Historic Franklinton, the birthplace of Columbus in the late 1700s, is currently experiencing a resurgence of economic growth. At 540 West Broad Street, amid the many newer buildings along the Franklinton corridor, stands Engine House No. 6, built in 1892 in the days when firemen drove wagons and steam pumpers pulled by teams of horses. No. 6 will soon become the home of the Columbus Historical Society (CHS). It will serve not only as a repository for the preservation of Columbus history, but as an active location for museum exhibits, lively programs, a community center, and a research library.
The first fire department building west of the Scioto River was constructed in 1880 — Hose House No. 6 at West Broad and Mill Street. Faced with early fire hydrant systems that could not reliably provide adequate water pressure, a decision was made to revert to horse-drawn steam pumpers. This meant replacing Hose House No. 6 with Engine House No. 6, a much larger building with bays for a hose reel wagon and a steam pumper.
Horse-drawn pumper.
Photo: Columbus Metropolitan Library
Architect's drawing of renovation of Engine House No. 6.
Image: Columbus Historical Society
Engine House No. 6 was designed by local architect John Flynn, who also designed Engine House No. 5 at 121 Thurman Avenue. No. 5 was purchased in 1974 by Chuck Muir and transformed into the iconic German Village seafood restaurant of the same name. Flynn was also responsible for the design of the Crystal Ice Factory, built in 1891, later the home of The Spaghetti Warehouse until its roof collapsed in 2022. The building was razed in early 2025.
Engine House No. 6 featured a bell tower with a tall steeple, an attic, and a stone-walled basement. The north section of the building was used as a stable for the horses. The second floor included a hay loft, offices, and a dormitory for the firemen. Plans to build a “horse hospital” behind No. 6 were proposed in 1909 but quickly discarded as it became clear that horse-drawn vehicles would soon be replaced by cars and trucks.
The spire that once stood atop the bell tower on the west side of the building served multiple purposes: communicating fire emergencies, affording a high vantage point for spotting fires, and providing a structure where firehoses were hung to dry after a run. The spire has long since disappeared, but the original bell from the tower, cast in 1889, survived the ages and has taken on a second life as part of the City of Columbus Firefighters Memorial monument located on Marconi Boulevard. The brass pole that so many firemen slid down when the alarm sounded is now located in the Firefighters Union Hall at 379 West Broad Street.
Most notably, Engine House No. 6 was the location of the very first emergency squad unit in Columbus — and perhaps in the nation. Recognizing that firefighters were being called upon to respond to medical emergencies as well as fires, Fire Department officials created the city’s first emergency squad, stationed at No. 6, in 1934.
Engine House No. 6 was sold in 1967 to William C. Rea, who planned to use the building to house an electronics store, offices for his Christian Free Drive-In Theater, and — most prophetically — “possibly a museum for the history of Franklinton.” William C. Rea’s son, James, took over the building in 1975 where he operated the well-known Jimmy Rea electronics store until closing in 2014.
The building then stood empty until the CHS purchased it in 2021. CHS Board President, the late Mike Frush, remarked “Columbus is the largest city in the United States without a permanent home for its historical society, but as the organization moves ahead, the future – and past – are looking bright.” The renovation is now well underway, with architectural firm Schooley Caldwell and construction company Miles-McClellan giving Engine House No. 6 a new way to serve the city as the home of the Columbus Historical Society.
The future, indeed, is looking bright.
CHS board member Doug Tracy, a retired software developer, is a product of the Columbus Public Schools and earned degrees from Illinois and Ohio State. He is actively involved in the restoration of Engine House No. 6. Find a full length version of this article in out Spring 2025 Journal.
