Old Covington Fire Station No. 2, Covington, Kentucky

I take what some people might consider an inordinate amount of photos of historic buildings. For example, in a few hours in Covington the other day, I took over 300 photos. While I have the best of intentions of researching and finding out all I can about each building I capture – most of the images languish in folders on my computer, their stories untold. Like Blanche DuBois, I am sometimes dependent upon the kindness of strangers  to help me learn more about the buildings I see so fleetingly.  One particularly compelling, slightly scruffy looking historic building, the fire station of the title, is making its way to you courtesy of a such a stranger, who was thoughtful enough to share their knowledge of the building with me.

Façade of the former fire station.

To continue with the Tennessee Williams allusions, the two story brick building is no longer in the first flush of youth – and bears the scars of neglect and hard-living. It has a three-story, two bay wide addition to the side (on left in the above photograph), the windows sport panels of plywood, and most appallingly, the cornice was cruelly lopped off, but despite all the indignities it has suffered, the facade is still striking.

The central opening on the facade.

The original three-bay wide facade has a ground floor of roughly-dressed stone, with three arched openings (in the Richardsonian Romanesque style). The central opening, now filled by a wooden garage door, was for the fire truck (or fire wagon, given that it was designed for horse-pulled wagons).

Undated historic photo of the fire station and one of the horse-pulled fire wagons.

The large door opening is flanked by “stubby” colonnettes and a window to either side. (I can’t claim the delightful use of “stubby” – it came from the NRHP nomination, but it makes me chuckle.)

One of the arched windows on the facade.

Above the central door is the stone nameplate/datestone, two panels of contrasting buff brick, and a stone beltcourse that serves as the sill for the three second-story windows. These windows have incised stone lintels and above the paired middle windows, the stone “arms” that led to the fabulous cornice.

Late 19th century postcard showing the fire station in all of its original glory.

The building’s design is attributed to local architect Daniel Seger, who was quite prolific during his career. He also designed Fire Station No. 1 on West Sixth Street in Covington.

Fire Station No. 1, also designed by Daniel Seger. Photo from the NRHP files. Circa 1983. The building is extant.

By 1949, Fire Station No. 2 was no longer in use by the city – the building size and design not compatible with the larger, mechanized fire trucks. Decades of change and neglect followed – but plans are underway for the renovation of the building into offices! This most welcome news came to me via the “stranger” of the first paragraph – a fellow aficionado of historic buildings on Instagram. I am so happy to know that this still-handsome building will be returned to service, and that these few photos in my collection now have some context.