Historic La Crosse Fire Stations
(written by Scott Brouwer, Archives staff)
Organized fire-fighting in La Crosse is almost as old as the city itself. Prior to and shortly after the city of La Crosse was officially established in 1856, bucket brigades, in which any available citizens would form lines passing full buckets from a water source towards the fire and empty buckets back, were the primary mode of suppressing fires. The first volunteer fire company was formed in 1857 after a devasting fire left several blocks of Front Street in ruins. "The Pioneer Engine Company #1" was formed with 60 members and city-appropriated funds for a fire engine and the necessary equipment to operate the engine.
Throughout the next few decades, several volunteer companies were formed and disbanded. How much or how little cooperation existed between the companies is relatively unknown, but they were geographically distributed around the developing city.
The first formal fire station built for the Pioneer Engine Company was completed in 1868 in conjunction with City Hall at 413 Main Street. According to La Crosse Fire Rescue: Legends and Legacies, a history produced in 1995 by the La Crosse Fire Department, hoses were hung in the steeple to dry after a fire.
The Rescue Hose Company, formed in 1869 and disbanded in 1891, worked out of a station at 829 6th Street S. (completed in 1872) that would eventually be designated La Crosse Fire Station #3.
Another of the volunteer companies of this time was the Washington Engine Company. They worked out of a station on at 510 St. Cloud Street (completed in 1884) that would eventually be designated La Crosse Fire Station #2.
The modern La Crosse Fire Department was established in 1896. It was initially divided into five stations, repurposing stations built for volunteer companies.
- Fire Station #1 (1886) - 414 State Street
- Fire Station #2 (1884) - 510 St. Cloud Street SEE ABOVE
- Fire Station #3 (1872) - 829 6th Street S. SEE ABOVE
- Fire Station #4 (1892) - corner of Gilette and Berlin (Liberty) Streets
- Fire Station #5 (1895) - 1220 Denton Street
All current Fire Stations can be considered 2nd generation La Crosse Fire Department buildings, having been built between 1940 and 1967.
- La Crosse Fire Station #1 (1967) - 726 5th Avenue South
- La Crosse Fire Station #2 (1956) - 626 Monitor Street
- La Crosse Fire Station #3 (1967) - 1710 Losey Boulevard South
- La Crosse Fire Station #4 (1940) - 906 Gillette Street
At the time of this writing in 2021, the La Crosse Fire Department is on the verge of constructing its first new buildings in over 50 years, with plans for new Fire Stations #2 and #4 in development. A remodel of Fire Station #1 and adding a new 5th station on the far south side are in the works as well.
Related Materials:
Common Council resolutions relating to fire prevention
Rescue Hose Company No. 2 Constitution and Bylaws
La Crosse Fire Rescue: Legends and Legacies (1995) - La Crosse Fire Department
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