Charleston Fire Department History 

Site last updated November 25, 2007


Contents

Other Engine Houses / Demolished Engine Houses 

Address Cross Street Occupant
Archdale St. opposite Market St., west side CFD Engine 5, circa 1886-1887.
CFD Hook & Ladder No. 1, circa 1884.
Hope Steam Fire Engine Company, circa 1881, 1869.
Hope Fire Engine Company (hand), circa 1867.
Anson St. between Laurens and Society Ward Engine #3 (colored), circa 1859
Beaufain St. east of Smith, south side Comet Steam Fire Engine Company (colored), circa 1881, 1875.
Cannon St. near King, south side CFD Engine 6, circa 1886. CFD Engine 7, circa 1887.
Marion Steam Fire Engine Company, circa 1881, 1875, 1869.
Columbus St. corner of Aiken St. City Engine No. 9 (hand), circa 1869.
Columbus St. corner of Hampstead Mall Ashley Fire Engine Company (hand) (colored), circa 1875. Same as above?
Ward Engine #10 (colored), circa 1859
Cumberland St. east of Meeting, north side Phoenix Fire Company, circa 1881, 1875, 1869.
Elizabeth St. between Charlotte and Johns Ward Engine #9 (colored), circa 1859
George St.   Housed the Charleston Fire Company, later named Pioneer Fire Company.
George St. at College St., northwest corner Stonewall Steam Fire Engine Company, circa 1881, 1875.
Stonewall Fire Engine Company (hand), circa 1869, 1867. Same as above?
George St. corner of College Ward Engine No. 6 (colored), circa 1859. Same as above?
John St. east of King, north side CFD truck companies 1882-1943
CFD Hook & Ladder 1, circa 1892.
CFD Engine 6, circa 1885-1888.
CFD Engine 5, circa 1884.
Charleston Hook & Ladder Company No. 3  (colored) circa 1881.
Two-story structure.
8 Liberty St.   Salvage Corps, circa 1886.
King St.   Union Star Fire Engine Company (hand) (colored), circa 1875.
King St. between Trade Street and Price's Alley Ward Engine #2 (colored), circa 1859. Same as above?
182 Market St. between Church and Meeting Pioneer Steam Fire Engine Company, circa 1881, 1869.
Meeting St. between John and Ann, west side Eagle Steam Fire Engine Company, circa 1881, 1875, 1869.
Eagle Fire Engine Company (hand), circa 1867.
Meeting St. near John St. CFD Hook & Ladder No. 2, circa 1884-1890. Two-story. Same as above?
Meeting St. southern end of Guard House Ward Engine #1 (colored), circa 1859
Morris St.   Marion Fire Company.
81-83 Queen St.

Numbers c.1933

between Meeting and King, south side CFD reserve engine house from 1887 to early 1930s.
CFD Station 2, CFD headquarters, CFD fire alarm system 1882-1887.
Aetna Fire Company before 1882.
Also Charleston Hook & Ladder Company No. 1 circa 1881, 1875, 1869.
Two-story.
Pitt St. between Wentworth and Montague Ward Engine No. 7 (colored), circa 1859
Rutledge St. corner Beaufain St., southwest corner City Engine No. 5 (colored), circa 1869.
Ward Engine No. 5 (colored), circa 1859
Sires St. above Spring City Engine No. 8 (colored), circa 1869.
Sires St.   Niagara Fire Engine Company (hand) (colored), circa 1875. Same as above?
Smith St. near Calhoun City Engine No. 7 (hand) (colored), circa 1869.
Smith St.   Prudence Fire Engine Company (hand) (colored), circa 1875. Same as above?
Society St. near Anson Young American Steam Fire Engine Company, circa 1869.
45 Spring St.   Niagara Steam Fire Engine Company (colored), circa 1881.
Spring St corner of Sires Ward Engine #8 (colored), circa 1859. Same others as above?
Vanderhorst St. between St. Philip and King, north side Washington Steam Fire Engine Company, circa 1881, 1875, 1869, 1867.
Washington St. corner of Inspection Ward Engine #4 (colored), circa 1859
Wentworth St. near King, north side Charleston Hook & Ladder Company No. 2, circa 1881, 1875
Charleston Hook and Ladder Company No. 1, circa 1869.
Charleston Fire Engine Company (hand), circa 1867.
Wentworth St.   Pioneer Steam Fire Engine Company, circa 1875. Same as above?
44 Wentworth St.   Phoenix Fire Engine Company (hand), burned 1861.
Unknown   Promptitude Fire Engine Company (hand) (colored), circa 1875.
Unknown   United Fire Engine Company (hand) (colored), circa 1875.

Volunteer Fire Companies

Name Started Ended Apparatus (incomplete)
Aetna (Steam) Fire Engine Company Instituted 1829
Incorporated 1830
1882 1848 Hunneman hand engine (c.1859)
1859 Hunneman hand engine (#639)
Clapp & Jones steamer, hand-pulled (c.1881)
Ashley Fire Engine Company (hand) (colored) Incorporated 1869 After 1875  
Charleston Axeman Fire Company Incorporated 1801
Changed name 1861 (?)
See Pioneer Fire Company.
  Roulain hand truck (c.1859)
Charleston Fire Company Incorporated 1820 ? 1857 Jeffers hand engine (c.1859)
Charleston Hook & Ladder Company No. 1 Instituted 1865
Incorporated 1865
1882 Leverich hand truck (c.1881)
Charleston Hook & Ladder Company No. 2 Instituted 1865 1882 Hartshorn hand truck (c.1881)
Charleston Hook & Ladder Company No. 3 Instituted 1870
Incorporated 1872
1882 Hand truck (c.1881)
Comet Steam Fire Engine Company (colored) Incorporated 1870 1882 Clapp & Jones steamer, hand-pulled (c.1881)
Eagle (Steam) Fire Engine Company Instituted 1816
Incorporated 1818
1882 1857 Button & Blake hand engine (c.1859)
1860 Button hand engine (#548)
1869 Button steamer (#47), hand-pulled (c.1881)
German (Steam) Fire Engine Company Instituted 1839
Incorporated 1839
1882 1847 Agnew hand engine (c.1859)
1860 Agnew hand engine
1870 Amoskeag steamer (#329), horse-pulled (c.1881)
Hope (Steam) Fire Engine Company Incorporated 1843 1882 1843 Hunneman hand engine (#227)
1851 Simpson hand engine (c.1857)
Button & Blake hand engine (c.1859)
1860 Button hand engine (#547)
1870 Amoskeag steamer (#334), hand-pulled (c.1881)
Independent Fire Company Circa 1840 ? 1840 Hunneman hand engine (#187)
Marion (Steam) Fire Engine Company Instituted 1838
Incorporated 1839
1882 1839 Hunneman hand engine (c.1859)
1851 Hunneman hand engine (#434)
Clapp & Jones steamer, hand-pulled (c.1881)
Niagara Fire Engine Company (hand) (colored) Instituted 1861
Incorporated 1869
1882 R. J. Gould steamer, hand pulled (c. 1881)
Old Charleston Hand Engine Incorporated 1829
Changed named 1865
See Charleston H&L No. 2
   
Palmetto (Steam) Fire Engine Company Instituted 1840
Incorporated 1841
1882 1842 Hunneman hand engine (#218) (c.1857)
Pyne & Hartshorn hand engine (c.1859)
1860 Hunneman hand engine (#651)
1867 Amoskeag steamer (#236), hand-pulled (c.1881)
Palmetto Axe Fire Company Incorporated 1849   1849 Mahoney hand truck (c.1857)
Phoenix (Steam) Fire Engine Company Incorporated 1826 1882 1839 Agnew hand engine (c.1857)
1858 Jeffers hand engine (c.1859)
Jeffers steamer, hand-pulled (c.1881)
Pioneer Steam Fire Engine Company Instituted 1861 (?) 1882 Clapp & Jones steamer, hand-pulled (c.1881)
Promptitude Fire Engine Company (hand) (colored) Incorporated 1870 After 1875  
Protection Fire Company Incorporated 1849   1850 Artman hand truck (c.1857)
Prudence Fire Engine Company (hand) (colored) Incorporated 1870 After 1875  
Stonewall Steam Fire Engine Company Instituted 1865
Incorporated 1866
1882 1870 Amoskeag steamer (#321), horse-pulled (c.1881)
Union Star Fire Engine Company (hand) (colored) Incorporated 1869 After 1875  
United Fire Engine Company (hand) (colored) Incorporated by 1875. After 1875 1874 Hunneman hand engine (#732)
Vigilant (Steam) Fire Engine Company Instituted 1819
Incorporated 1819
1882 1850 Jeffers hand engine (c.1859)
1871 Silsby steamer (#277), hand-pulled (c.1881)
Washington (Steam) Fire Engine Company Instituted 1849
Incorporated 1849
1882 1849 Hunneman hand engine (#372) (c.1859)
1860 Jeffers hand engine
Clapp & Jones steamer, hand-pulled (c.1881)
Young American Steam Fire Engine Company Instituted 1865
Incorporated 1866
1882 1871 Silsby steamer (#278), hand-pulled (c.1881)

Ward Engine Companies 

Company Location (circa 1859) Apparatus (incomplete)
Ward Engine No. 1 Meeting Street, on southern end of Guard House 1846 Hunneman (#303), 1853 Hunneman (#469)
Ward Engine No. 2 King Street, between Trade Street and Price's Alley  
Ward Engine No. 3 Anson Street, between Laurens and Society streets 1848 Hunneman (#342)
Ward Engine No. 4 Washington Street, at corner of Inspection Street 1846 Hunneman (#304)
Ward Engine No. 5 Rutledge Street, corner of Beaufain Street 1850 Hunneman (#410)
Ward Engine No. 6 George Street, corner of College Street 1850 Hunneman (#411)
Ward Engine No. 7 Pitt Street, between Wentworth and Montague streets 1850 Hunneman (#412)
Ward Engine No. 8 Spring Street, corner of Sires Street 1850 Hunneman (#413)
Ward Engine No. 9 Elizabeth Street, between Charlotte and Johns streets 1850 Hunneman (#414)
Ward Engine No. 10 Hampstead Mall, corner of Columbus Street 1853 Hunneman (#496)

Historical Timeline - 1700 to 1951

1700-1899

1900-1951

Sources


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