Fire Station Demo

Recently, D.J. Corcoran, archivist with the City Fire Department shared some historical images with us, including shots of the demolition of the old downtown Fire Station on Commerce Avenue at State Street.  In the background of the vintage postcard (shared by Sam Furrow), is the ornate YMCA building, previously the Palace Hotel. That building caught fire in 1975, killing one person, and was soon demolished. In 1977, the Fire Department was razed too, to make room for road improvements along what became Summit Hill Drive. A bid by local preservationists to place the Fire Hall on the National Register of Historic Places was successful, but only two days after it was demolished.