Hose House No. 2
Also known as: Fire Station
Why it's listed
Built in 1905 at the corner of Rantoul and School Streets in Beverly, Massachusetts, Hose House #2 is a compact red brick fire station with a granite foundation and a slate pyramidal roof. Its classical details include monumental brick pilasters, a Palladian-style second-story window, paired carved brackets and a frieze inscribed "Hose - 2 - B. F. D." The Boston firm Kilham and Hopkins, led by Beverly native Walter H. Kilham, designed it. It was listed as an example of the Second Renaissance Revival style and as a product of the city's municipal building program during a period when the population rose from 8,456 in 1880 to 22,561 by 1920. The station served the densely built Ward 2, with its factories, rubber works and three-decker housing. It is the most refined of Beverly's early 20th century hose houses. The brass sliding pole survives, though the interior has been heavily altered for commercial use after the station closed in the late 1970s.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues it is a modest, well-preserved example of the Second Renaissance Revival style by a firm well known for schools and public buildings. It also reflects Beverly's sharp growth in population and community services around the turn of the century. It was the fourth city fire station built since 1875 and the most sophisticated of Beverly's early 20th century hose houses.
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 86001461, listed July 3, 1986. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 30 Rantoul St., Beverly |
|---|---|
| County | Essex County |
| Listed | July 3, 1986 |
| Reference number | 86001461 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1900-1999 (checked as 1900-; specific date 1905) |
| Architect / builder | Kilham & Hopkins, Architects |
| Architectural style | Second Renaissance Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Community Planning and Development, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Served downtown Beverly as a fire station into the late 1970s; now used as commercial space with an extensively altered interior. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 42.54321, -70.88530 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
National Register listing is honorary for a privately owned home: it does not by itself restrict what an owner may do with their own money, and it does not require public access. Restrictions come from local landmark or historic-district ordinances, which are separate (how they differ).
Owner-occupied houses are not eligible for the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit, which applies to income-producing buildings, but many states offer credits for homeowners. Listing also opens the door to preservation easements and to buying a plaque. Start with what listing means for homeowners, renovating a listed house and selling one.
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 86001461.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5907234
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.