Fire Station No. 23
Also known as: Old Fire Station 23
Why it's listed
Built in 1910 at 225 East Fifth Street in Los Angeles, Old Fire Station No. 23 is a three-story reinforced concrete building with a basement, designed by Hudson and Munsell and constructed by the F.O. Engstrum Company. Its facade combines Italian marble, terra cotta, a slanted bay window and a red tile roof. Inside, the building was fitted with oak and Peruvian mahogany trim, tile, marble and a fireplace on the third floor, which served as department headquarters and as the Chief Engineer's family quarters until 1928. It was the city's first reinforced concrete fire station, its first of three stories, and the last used for horse-drawn apparatus. Its lavish cost drew sharp newspaper criticism during construction. The station ceased firefighting service in 1960 after 60,000 alarms, was named a local monument in 1966, and was designated the fire department museum in 1979. Much original equipment and decoration remains.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues it was the most elaborate and unique fire station in Los Angeles from the turn of the century, with ornate materials and luxurious interiors. It was the city's first reinforced concrete fire station and its first three-story one, and the last used for horse-drawn apparatus. A 1979 national survey of about 250 old fire stations reportedly found none matching its interior.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 80000809, listed June 9, 1980. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 225 E. 5th St., Los Angeles |
|---|---|
| County | Los Angeles County |
| Listed | June 9, 1980 |
| Reference number | 80000809 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1910 |
| Architect / builder | Architect - Hudson and Munsell; Builder - F.O. Engstrum Company |
| Architectural style | Utilitarian design with an eclectic array of decorative elements |
| Areas of significance | Engineering, Architecture, Social History |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Retired as a city fire station in 1960; in 1979 the City Council proclaimed it the Official Los Angeles City Fire Department Museum. Described as in good condition and a remarkable state of preservation, with relatively few alterations. |
| Acreage | 0.1 |
| Coordinates | 34.04578, -118.24661 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For a publicly owned building or structure, listing mainly matters when federal funds, permits or licences are involved: projects then go through Section 106 review so effects on the property are considered. Listing also strengthens applications for preservation grants and, for leased income-producing uses, can enable the federal rehabilitation tax credit.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 80000809.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5451467
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.