Excelsior Engine Co. No. 2 Firehouse Explained

Excelsior Engine Co. No. 2 Firehouse – Exempt Firemen Association Headquarters
Location:6106 Polk Street, West New York, New Jersey
Coordinates:40.791°N -74.0173°W
Built:1897
Architect:Robert C. Dixon Jr., William Mayer Jr.
Architecture:Romanesque Revival
Added:August 12, 2022
Refnum:100007991[1]
Designated Other1 Name:New Jersey Register of Historic Places
Designated Other1 Abbr:NJRHP
Designated Other1 Link:New Jersey Register of Historic Places
Designated Other1 Date:June 27, 2022
Designated Other1 Number:5380[2]
Designated Other1 Num Position:bottom
Designated Other1 Color:
  1. ffc94b

The Excelsior Engine Co. No. 2 Firehouse is a historic former fire station built in 1897 and located at 6106 Polk Street in the town of West New York in Hudson County, New Jersey, United States. It was later known as the Exempt Firemen Association Headquarters. The building was added to the National Register of Historic Places on August 12, 2022, for its significance in architecture and social history.[3] It was listed in 2017 as one of the state's 10 most endangered historic places by Preservation New Jersey.[4] [5]

History and description

The two-story brick fire station was built in 1897, designed by architect Robert C. Dixon Jr. with Romanesque Revival architecture, for the Excelsior Engine Company No.2 volunteer fire company of West New York. The design included Corinthian capitals made with terra cotta. The completion of the building was celebrated with a parade and banquet on October 23, 1897. In 1915, the town disbanded volunteer fire companies and created paid companies. The fire station was considered obsolete for motorized fire engines. By 1916, the Association of Exempt Firemen of West New York had acquired the building for use as their headquarters. In 1923, they hired architect William Mayer Jr. to renovate and expand the building.[3]

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Weekly List 2022 08 12 . . August 12, 2022.
  2. Web site: New Jersey and National Registers of Historic Places – Hudson County . New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection - Historic Preservation Office . 22 . March 30, 2023 .
  3. Web site: National Register of Historic Places Registration: Excelsior Engine Co. No. 2 Firehouse / Exempt Firemen Association Headquarters (Draft) . National Park Service. Carla . Cielo . November 2021 . With accompanying 31 photos
  4. Web site: Cullen, Jr. . Patrick R. . Exempt Firehouse . Preservation New Jersey . 2017.
  5. News: Rojas . Cristina . Here are N.J.'s 10 most endangered historic sites for 2017 . . May 18, 2017.