Portland Fire Station No. 23
Encyclopedia
Portland Fire Station No. 23 in southeast Portland
in the U.S. state of Oregon
is a two-story structure listed on the National Register of Historic Places
. Built in Italianate
style in 1913, it was added to the register in 1989.
Fire Station No. 23 occupies a narrow lot in a block that was known as "Firehouse Row". The lot was the site of one of East Portland
's earliest firehouses, home to Grant Engine Company No. 2 (later Hose Company No. 3) as early as 1884. In 1913, Fire Station No. 23 replaced the earlier building. The rest of the block, dating to the late 19th century, consisted of houses built for firefighters and their families.
The rectangular fire station, typical of many Portland Fire Bureau buildings constructed on the east side in the early 20th century, has masonry walls and a flat roof with a full parapet
. Exterior features include a facade
of buff-colored brick, four wooden doors, arch windows topped by brick voussoir
s, a bullseye window, and the original fire station signs. The first floor of the interior originally included the engine room, two offices, a hallway, and a half-bath (toilet and sink). The second floor consisted of a large room in front, with two smaller offices, a kitchen, bathroom, and hallway in back.
Lee Gray Holden (1865–1943) was for many years associated with Fire Station No. 23 and its predecessor building. Although it is not known if he designed this particular building, he is credited with designing 24 Portland firehouses and fire boats. A native of Illinois
, he moved to Oregon in 1885 and joined Grant Engine Company No. 2, a volunteer company, in 1887, before East Portland became part of Portland. In 1891, he became the first paid firefighter on the east side. Despite being fired for political reasons by Mayor Sylvester Pennoyer
in 1896, he was re-hired as fire battalion chief of the east side in 1898, after Pennoyer left office. Retiring to the mountain community of Zigzag
to design and build a hotel in 1908, he returned to Portland in 1911 to become battalion chief of the city's southeast fire district. In that post, he was stationed at Fire Station No. 23 from 1913 to 1923. In 1923, Holden became Portland's assistant fire chief and, three months later, fire chief, a position he held until his retirement in 1927.
Portland, Oregon
Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...
in the U.S. state of Oregon
Oregon
Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
is a two-story structure listed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
. Built in Italianate
Italianate architecture
The Italianate style of architecture was a distinct 19th-century phase in the history of Classical architecture. In the Italianate style, the models and architectural vocabulary of 16th-century Italian Renaissance architecture, which had served as inspiration for both Palladianism and...
style in 1913, it was added to the register in 1989.
Fire Station No. 23 occupies a narrow lot in a block that was known as "Firehouse Row". The lot was the site of one of East Portland
East Portland, Oregon
East Portland was a city in the U.S. state of Oregon that was consolidated into Portland in 1891. It was founded on a land claim by James B. Stephens in 1846, who bought a land claim from John McLoughlin of the Hudson's Bay Company...
's earliest firehouses, home to Grant Engine Company No. 2 (later Hose Company No. 3) as early as 1884. In 1913, Fire Station No. 23 replaced the earlier building. The rest of the block, dating to the late 19th century, consisted of houses built for firefighters and their families.
The rectangular fire station, typical of many Portland Fire Bureau buildings constructed on the east side in the early 20th century, has masonry walls and a flat roof with a full parapet
Parapet
A parapet is a wall-like barrier at the edge of a roof, terrace, balcony or other structure. Where extending above a roof, it may simply be the portion of an exterior wall that continues above the line of the roof surface, or may be a continuation of a vertical feature beneath the roof such as a...
. Exterior features include a facade
Facade
A facade or façade is generally one exterior side of a building, usually, but not always, the front. The word comes from the French language, literally meaning "frontage" or "face"....
of buff-colored brick, four wooden doors, arch windows topped by brick voussoir
Voussoir
A voussoir is a wedge-shaped element, typically a stone, used in building an arch or vault.Although each unit in an arch or vault is a voussoir, two units are of distinct functional importance: the keystone and the springer. The keystone is the center stone or masonry unit at the apex of an arch. A...
s, a bullseye window, and the original fire station signs. The first floor of the interior originally included the engine room, two offices, a hallway, and a half-bath (toilet and sink). The second floor consisted of a large room in front, with two smaller offices, a kitchen, bathroom, and hallway in back.
Lee Gray Holden (1865–1943) was for many years associated with Fire Station No. 23 and its predecessor building. Although it is not known if he designed this particular building, he is credited with designing 24 Portland firehouses and fire boats. A native of Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
, he moved to Oregon in 1885 and joined Grant Engine Company No. 2, a volunteer company, in 1887, before East Portland became part of Portland. In 1891, he became the first paid firefighter on the east side. Despite being fired for political reasons by Mayor Sylvester Pennoyer
Sylvester Pennoyer
Sylvester Pennoyer was an American educator, attorney, and politician in Oregon. He was born in New York, attended Harvard Law School, and moved to Oregon at age 25. A Democrat, he served two terms as the eighth Governor of Oregon from 1886 to 1895. He joined the Populist cause in the early 1890s...
in 1896, he was re-hired as fire battalion chief of the east side in 1898, after Pennoyer left office. Retiring to the mountain community of Zigzag
Zigzag, Oregon
Zigzag is an unincorporated community in Clackamas County, Oregon, United States. It is located within the Mount Hood Corridor, between Rhododendron and Welches on U.S. Route 26...
to design and build a hotel in 1908, he returned to Portland in 1911 to become battalion chief of the city's southeast fire district. In that post, he was stationed at Fire Station No. 23 from 1913 to 1923. In 1923, Holden became Portland's assistant fire chief and, three months later, fire chief, a position he held until his retirement in 1927.