Wednesday, May 30, 2012

Engine House #6

This engine house predates the Baltimore fire department by four years and was the third building used by the Independent Fire Company volunteer firefighter to house their equipment. It is an architectural landmark in its neighborhood, as its tower and clock are visible for miles. The Engine House was built in 1853-54 by the architects Reasin and Wetherald. Its 103-foot brick Italian-Gothic tower is said to be a copy of Giotto’s campanile in Florence, Italy. Engine House #6 is also significant for the period of time which it represents. It was built during the period when volunteer fire companies reached the peak of their rivalries and gave Baltimore its notorious name, "Mobtown."