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."
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