The building is still standing opposite the public library and is in use as the Public Safety Building. It was built in 1873 and first housed the George Stone Hook and Ladder Company. Shown is the first “Hook & Ladder #1” truck with Fred Foster and George Newcomb (driver). The fire stations were named according to the equipment stationed there.

There would be some confusing juggling of equipment following this photo:

• 1897: New “Hook & Ladder #1” truck purchased. This original “Hook & Ladder #1” is renamed to “Hook & Ladder #2” and moved to the fire house in the Village Square.
• 1899: This new “Hook & Ladder #1” truck is moved to the new Washington Sq. firehouse
• 1899: The older “Hook & Ladder #2” is moved back to its original location at 340 Washington St. albeit with its new name.

The building, located today at 350 Washington St. across from the public library, is still standing and in use as the Public Safety Building. It was built in 1873 and first housed the George Stone Hook and Ladder Company. On the right is the wagon for Hose Company No. 2 housed at 342 Washington St. On the left is the station for Hook and Ladder No. 1 housed at 340 Washington St. Note the two dogs on the wagon.
[Source: Joel Shield]

The station housed Hook and Ladder Company No. 1 and Hose Company No. 2. It formerly housed the original and then newer “Hook & Ladder No. 1” trucks which were later juggled among several locations. The building, located across Washington St. from the public library, is still standing though no longer a fire station. 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]

This image is dated after the 1913 demolition of the Kingman house to the left and before the present-day addition that was present in 1927.

(ID) 023
(Slide ID) P-24-23
[Source: William Robert Murphy Collection]

Combination Wagon #3. 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.]

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.
The Station D building presents some identification challenges. First, the fire house that was built two years later, in 1893, on Devotion St. had a virtually identical front façade and doors and the two have been conflated in publication. Second, photos after 1900 show a very different-looking building. But a closer look reveals that it’s the same building with several new feet added at the bottom and totally different doors added. This was because Boylston St. was lowered six feet for the trolley installation in 1900.

The original Station D fire house shown here was located at 796 Boylston St. just east of Reservoir Rd. and was replaced in December, 1930 by the new building across the street at 827 Boylston St. which remains in service today.

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]

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. To the left is 794 Boylston St., still standing.
This building is the second of two iterations which have presented some identification challenges. First, the fire house that was built two years later, in 1893, on Devotion St. had a virtually identical front façade and doors and the two have been conflated in publication. Second, photos after 1900 show a very different-looking building. But a closer look reveals that it’s the same building with several new feet added at the bottom and totally different doors added. This was because Boylston St. was lowered six feet for the trolley installation in 1900.

(ID) 042
(Slide ID) P 25-24
[Source: William Robert Murphy Collection]

The new Station D at 827 Boylston St. opened December 8th, 1930. It was built to address the issue of inadequate coverage of the rapidly-growing area west and south of Chestnut Hill Ave. and replaced the old Station D. across the street at 796 Boylston St. The new station was equipped with three pieces of equipment: a new 85-foot aerial ladder truck, a new hose tender, and a rebuilt Engine #4 that had been housed in the old station across the street.

On the left is Engine #4 which was crewed by Thomas J. Burke, captain; Thomas J. Grennan, lieutenant; Alexander G. DeLorie, George H. Dunn, John J. Costello, James L. Love, Thomas J. Mahon, Robert J. O’Connor, William H. O’Connor, Michael F. Tonra, hose men.

On the right is Ladder #3 which was crewed by Patrick H. Kirrane, Richard E. O’Day, lieutenants; John L. Fay, John H. Hinchley Jr., Frank X Love, John M Mealey, John H. Mitchell, John E. Patterson, James Priestly, Michael A. Rourke, ladder men; Thomas Curry, Daniel F. Donovan, Joseph P. Harrington, Patrick J. Hogan, Francis H. Norton, hose men

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.

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.

(ID) 044
(Slide ID) P 24-27
[Source: William Robert Murphy Collection]

The station opened on outer Heath St. in 1899 as Combination Wagon No. 2 with five men on site and another three on call. It was soon renamed to “Station F” following the renaming of all the houses to “stations” at the end of the same year. In the 1930s, there was another system-wide renaming from lettered stations to numbered stations. Station F became Station 6.
By 1930, it was evident that the south and west areas of town had seen a large increase in population in recent years with no change to fire coverage. It was even reported that homeowners were being charged higher insurance rates as a result. To rectify this a larger Station D on Boylston was soon built and, in 1939, Station F, now known as Station 6, was closed and the personnel moved to the new Station 6 at Hammond St. and Newton St.

(ID) 045
(Slide ID) P 24-28
[Source: William Robert Murphy Collection]

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.