Portage Street Fire Station
The Portage Street Fire Station is a former fire station located at 1249 Portage Street in Kalamazoo, Michigan. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1985. As of 2018, the space houses the Fire Historical and Cultural Arts Collaborative.
History
Kalamazoo grew rapidly at the end of the nineteenth century; in particular, southeastern part of Kalamazoo near Washington Square experienced rapid growth after a series of large paper mills opened nearby between 1890 and 1900. However, the area lacked adequate fire coverage. In 1903, the city council hired Kalamazoo architect Robert M. Gallup to draft plans for a new fire station. After some revision, local contractor Moore McQuigg was hired to construct the building. The station was completed in mid-1904.The station, called "Engine House No. 2," was used by the city until 1953 when a new fire station was constructed nearby. The building housed a laundromat until about 1976. However, the building became severely deteriorated. It was purchased by a new owner in 1982 and rehabilitated to house a contracting business in the first floor and office space upstairs. As of 2018, the space houses the Fire Historical and Cultural Arts Collaborative.