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| Lexington Central Fire Station – Lexington, Ky. |
On East Third Street, just east of Martin Luther King Blvd, is Lexington’s Central Fire Station. It opened in 1929 and replaced an earlier central fire house on Short Street. According to a January 1926 article in the Lexington Leader, the old Short Street fire station was “not only unsightly and dilapidated, but a ‘menace to life and property.'” A good case for new construction.
So the city hired J. Graham Miller to design the Central Fire Station which was constructed by the Skinner Brothers and the Perry Lumber Company. It remains Lexington’s most active fire house nearly 85 years later.
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| The ‘Lil Kaintuckeean and his grandmother |
During our BGT deTour of the station house, we explored the living areas, the boiler room, offices, and kitchens of the fire house where our first responders spend so much of their days and nights.
One notable feature of this fire station is that there are four working fire poles. To demonstrate, one of the firefighters went down a pole while those assembled watched. We all wanted to join in, but only my four year old was able to slide down the firehouse pole.
At least to the extent his grandmother could lift him! It was a fun time for even the youngest among the crowd!
After the firehouse, we explored the nearby Old Episcopal Burying Grounds as well as the London Ferrell Community Garden. Needless to say, the ‘Lil Kaintuckeean kept me from listening and photographing.
The Blue Grass Trust for Historic Preservation hosts a monthly deTour for young professionals (and the young-at-heart); the Central Fire Station was our deTour in Oct. 2012. The group meets on the first Wednesday of each month. Our February gathering will be at the Oldham House on South Limestone Street. Join us there at 6:30 p.m.; learn more details on Facebook! You can see Kaintuckeean write-ups on previous deTours by clicking here.