Roanoke Spotlight: Historic Fire Station No. 1

The historic Fire Station No. 1 building still standing today at 13 Church Ave SE in downtown Roanoke was built in 1907. Modeled after Philadelphia's Independence Hall, Fire Station No. 1 is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and served as one of Virginia's longest continuously operating fire stations until its replacement began operating in 2007.

While the city of Roanoke purchased its first engine-powered fire truck in 1911, horse-drawn fire trucks were still in use at Fire Station No. 1 all the way up until 1918. President Franklin Delano Roosevelt was photographed during his visit to Fire Station No. 1 in 1940 (above), one of many sites in the Roanoke area that the president visited that year.

Local business owner and long-time Roanoke, VA resident Michelle L. Belton of Companion Home Care Inc has fond memories of the old station.



"I used to love to take my son there when he was a young child in the early nineties. It was the epitome of an old-fashioned fire station, and the fact that it was still in use at that time was amazing. I hope our city finds a way to preserve Fire Station No. 1 so that future generations can enjoy it as well," said Belton.

In need of a larger, more up-to-date facility, the city of Roanoke completed construction of the modern-day Roanoke Fire-EMS Station 1 Headquarters in May of 2007. The 29,000 square foot facility is located at 704 Franklin Rd in Roanoke. The station is 3 stories tall and houses not only Fire-EMS Crews but also Fire-EMS Administration including the Office of the Chief and the Fire Prevention Division.

After considering multiple proposals over the previous decade, Roanoke city council members unanimously approved the sale of historic Fire Station No. 1 to a group of investors at their June 2018 meeting. According to WSLS.com, "blueprints still show plans for a small bed and breakfast in the upstairs area, with Black Dog Salvage retail and a tap house among other things downstairs."