*The station formerly housed the original and then newer “Hook & Ladder #1” trucks which were later juggled among several locations. The building, located across Washington St. from the public library, still exists, though no longer a firehouse. It is decorated here for the town’s bicentennial celebration.

To the right, the wagon of Oliver B. Delano's Sons, Carpenter is parked in front of their business. The father established himself here in 1866 and built his house in the rear, just visible, several years later. He died in 1893 and his sons took over the business.
[Source: Digital Commonwealth]

Station G at 665 Washington St. was opened in late 1899 and is still active today as Fire Station No. 7. It housed three companies: Hook and Ladder #1, Combination Company #4, and Steam Engine #2.

This station at 665 Washington St. is still active today as Fire Station No. 7. Shown is their Engine #2 steamer. When the station was opened in late 1899 the engine was relocated from the Devotion Engine House.

The photo is taken across the street from the Washington Sq. fire station which opened in 1900. The station housed both Station G Engine No. 2 and Hook and Ladder No. 1. Shown is the Amoskeag steam engine. All the houses in the photo are still standing. From left to right:

• 666 Washington St.
• Vacant lot where 672/674 1910 Washington St would be constructed in 1910
• 46 University Ave.
• 40 University Ave.
• 676 Washington St.

The tall fire fighter is identified as John F. (“Jack”) Norton. Born in 1872, he had risen by 1898 to the rank of lieutenant and worked at the Village station. He was at one point discharged (for various infractions and “intoxication”), but in 1902 the Massachusetts Supreme Court ruled in his favor in his lawsuit against the town to receive back wages withheld at the time of his discharge. In 1905, there was a vacancy in the department when Frank Foster resigned from the force to pursue his business interests. The Fire Commissioner, Burton W. Neal, was then lobbied by supporters of Jack Norton and Neal was reinstated Norton with a position at Station G. where he worked until 1908 as a ladderman. Norton lived in Brookline with his widowed mother, never married, and died in 1910 at the age of 38.

[ref. Brookline Chronicle, pg.4, May 24, 1902]
[ref. Brookline Chronicle, pg.5, July 7, 1905]
[ref. Brookline Chronicle, pg.7, July 8, 1905]
[Source: Digital Commonwealth]

This station at 665 Washington St. is still active today as Fire Station No. 7. Shown is their Engine #2 steamer. When the station was opened in late 1899 the engine was relocated from the Devotion Engine House.

At the rear is John W. Manley, engineer, who also came over from the Devotion Engine House when this station opened. In 1906 he moved to the chemical fire station at 86 Monmouth St. where he remained for a number of years. The driver has been listed as “Fay” which is the name sometimes used by Michael J. Fahey, a driver of many years for the fire department. However, there are no listings of him at this station and this man does not match other photos of Michael Fahey.

This station at 665 Washington St. opened in late 1899 and is still active today as Fire Station No. 7. The man standing on the left is reported to be Selden Robert Allen, lieutenant, a future chief of the department. He transferred from the Hose Company #1 in the Village Square when the station opened and moved again circa 1902 to the Devotion St. station.

Snow plow. This station at 665 Washington St. is still active today as Fire Station No. 7.

This station at 665 Washington St. is still active today as Fire Station No. 7.

Located across the tracks of the Boston and Albany Railroad at the Chapel St. station. At the time, Carlton St. dipped down to the station. Along the tracks on the other side were several privately-owned buildings where this brick and wood stable owned by Dr. William K. Lawrence was used by Hose Company #3 to store their engine.

In late 1882, a Babcock Chemical Engine acquired by the town and housed nearby on Carlton St. A new company, Chemical Engine #1, was created and appears to have merged with Hose Company #3 in the next year. Chemical Engine #1 moved to their own building at 86 Monmouth St. when it opened in early 1887.

There appear to be two large extinguisher tanks, characteristic of chemical engines, at the front of the wagon in the photo.
[Source: Boston Publishing Co.]

Looking south from the Babcock Pond waters. Babcock Pond was part of a creek system flowing south from Commonwealth Ave. and was filled in soon after this photo was taken. From left to right:

• 63 Babcock St. (speculative)
• The duplex house at 9/11 Devotion St., still standing
• Devotion fire house on the north side of Devotion St.
• Rear of houses and carriage houses on Babcock St.

Looking south from the Babcock Pond waters. Babcock Pond was part of a creek system flowing south from Commonwealth Ave. and was filled in soon after this photo was taken. From left to right:

• Carriage house of 63 Babcock St. (speculative)
• 63 Babcock St. (speculative)
• The duplex house at 9/11 Devotion St., still standing
• Devotion fire house on the north side of Devotion St.
• Rear of houses and carriage houses on Babcock St.

[Source: Digital Commonwealth]

The station was opened in 1893 on Devotion St. to serve the North Brookline area where farm land was being rapidly transformed into housing developments. The front façade and doors were virtually identical to those of Hose Company #3 which had just opened in 1891. The station was later replaced by the current Fire Station 5 at 49 Babcock St.

Shown is the Amoskeag Steam Engine #2 which was acquired in Spring 1896 and later moved to the Washington Sq. station when the latter opened in late 1899.

Listed personnel at this station were L. F. Foster, Lieutenant; Edward McGrath, driver; Hiram C. Hamilton, hoseman.
[Source: Digital Commonwealth]

Combination Wagon #3, 86 Monmouth St. From left to right:

• John J. McCarthy, hoseman, driving
• John W. Manley, Lieutenant
• Patrick J. Ryan, Hoseman
• William Keegen, Call man
• Michael J. Fahey, Driver
• An agent from American LaFrance, a fire truck vendor
[Source: Boston Publishing Co.]

Station D was located at 827 Boylston St. just east of Reservoir Rd. and remains in service today as Fire Station #4. The location of this photo is not evident as the building in the photo does not appear to match the building at 827 Boylston St.

Rear row left to right:

• William Francis Norris, hose man (identified in 2022 by a grandson). He emigrated from Ireland and worked for the fire department from 1903 to 1941. In early 1905, he was transferred from Station E in Coolidge Corner to Station D (ref. Brookline Press Jan. 27, 1905, pg. 5). He remained living on today’s Leverett St. in Brookline Village despite the remove from Station D.
• James Brutcher, Jr., Driver
• Martin J. Dasey, driver

Front row left to right:

• Daniel G. McNamara, Lieutenant
• William J. Stitt, Captain
• James Christopher Lyons, Engineer of the steam engine. He started as a hose man at the new fire station in Washington Square when it opened in late 1899. By 1901, he was working as an engineer for steam engine #1 at Station D. After living at several locations near the fire station, he, his wife, and four children settled at 771a Boylston St. He died from nephritis, at age 42.

[Source: James Christopher Lyons Family]

His family moved to Brookline in the early 1870s and lived in the Village on Boylston St. He was married in 1895 at St. Mary’s Church, lived at 42 Walter Ave., and worked as a gas fitter for Cousens Bros. His father lived nearby in Roxbury and ran the “Home Bakery” store at 36 Washington St. in the Village from 1902 – 1917.

In April 1899, Lyons applied to the town for the position of Inspector of Gas Fitting. This application was presumably unsuccessful as he joined the Brookline Fire Department shortly after that, starting as a hose man at the new fire station in Washington Square. By 1901, he was working as an engineer for steam engine #1 at Station D at 827 Boylston St. by Reservoir Road. After living at several locations near the fire station, he, his wife, and four children settled at 771a Boylston St. He died from nephritis, at age 42.

Located on the south side of Boylston St. east of Reservoir Rd. It opened in January 1891 and was eventually replaced by the current Station 4 located across the street at 827 Boylston St. Two years later the fire house on Devotion St. opened with a virtually identical front façade and doors.