Visiting the Los Angeles Fire Department Historical Fire Museum

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On July 1, 1930, Los Angeles Fire Department's Station 27 opened its doors on Cahuenga Boulevard in Hollywood, California, becoming the largest fire station west of the Mississippi at the time.  For decades thereafter, this station served the residents of Hollywood and several motion picture studios, until 1992 when the new Station 27 opened next door.

Today Old Station 27 serves as the primary location of the Los Angeles Fire Department Historical Museum.  After surviving the Northridge Earthquake, the building was renovated and the museum opened in October of 2001.  With three floors of displays the museum shows what the station looked like during its days of operation.  The apparatus bays are filled with trucks and equipment dating back to 1886, with LAFD's 1905 Gorter Horsedrawn Water Tower, as one of the show pieces.  The museum also features an extensive collection of diecast models.  Its newest addition is a display about the Ralph J. Scott, LAFD's HIstorical Fireboat #2.  Another version of this display is available at the Station 36 Museum in San Pedro.

The Los Angeles Fire Department Historical Museum also features a Fire Research Library, event facitilities, and a gift shop.  Their next building project centers around an educational center for adults and children.

The museum is open each Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and it is funded by donations.  It is staffed by a group of faithful volunteers, who do everything from giving tours to restoring items and apparatus for display.  Frank W. Borden, the Operations Director, says that in the near future the museum will be open more frequently during the week, with a final goal of having operating hours six days a week.


Author:Barbara Brooks for FDNNTV.com