Former Fire Stations at Market and Lawrence Streets

The first fire station at the corner of West Market and Lawrence Streets was built about 1873. For many years this station was known as Fire House Number 2. The large iron numeral that was on the building is now a part of the historical collections of the Follett House Museum. You can see the numeral 2 over the door in the picture above.

A new fire station opened in November of 1915 at West Market and Lawrence Streets, at the site of the former station.  Some of the stone from the old city hall on Market Street, which had been partially destroyed in a fire, was used in the building of the new station, helping to offset construction costs.  H.C. Millot was the architect for the new fire station, and Schnurr and Walsh Brothers were the contractors. The city greenhouse loaned flowers from the greenhouse for its grand opening. You can read all about the opening of the new fire station in the Sandusky Register of February 26, 1915.

      

Mound Photographers took this picture of the fire station at the northwest corner of Market and Lawrence in June, 1944. In the picture, from left to right, are: A. Boesch, W. Herb, L. Seitz, G. Rehfuss, Capt., S. Bickley, electrician, Wilson McLaughlin, Fire Chief, C. Owen, assistant chief, L. Speir, Lieut., W. Collumb, C. Keller, Lieut., A. Hansen, and M. Johnson. Chief Wilson McLaughlin was well known and respected in the city of Sandusky. He had a long career with the Sandusky Fire Department, from 1919 to 1959.  In 1945, Chief McLaughlin was awarded the second annual award of the Sandusky Safety Council.

An article in the February 27, 1945 issue of the Sandusky Register Star News reported that “Chief McLaughlin has given of himself without thought of renumeration or recognition and contributed mightily to the success of our campaign to make Sandusky and Erie County a safe place in which to live and work.”  The former fire station at Market and Lawrence Streets no longer serves as a fire station, since the opening of the new Sandusky Fire Station at 600 West Market Street in 2002. It is now privately owned. Visit the Sandusky Library Archives Research Center to read more about the history of the Sandusky Fire Department.