Osgood, J.C., Firehouse
Why it's listed
Built in 1889 at the corner of Third Street and Canal Avenue in Troy, this red brick firehouse was home to the company founded by inventor and fire commissioner Jason C. Osgood and is still an active fire station. The building combines a bluestone foundation, brownstone water table, sandstone lintels with incised volutes, dogtooth brick panels, metal turrets, finials and large corbelled chimneys in a Queen Anne design meant to fit a residential neighborhood. The exterior is largely intact, though the front doorway was widened for modern equipment and the hose tower was demolished in the 1970s. Inside, the first floor has been reworked, but the second-floor officers' quarters, with a coffered ceiling and carved fireplace overmantel, and the open third-floor recreation room survive. It is listed as Troy's oldest active firehouse and as a reminder of the volunteer era, which ended when the city moved to a paid force in 1923-24.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues it is a good example of Queen Anne institutional architecture in Troy and a well-preserved record of the city's volunteer firefighting heritage. It is Troy's oldest active firehouse, and its second-floor officers' quarters and third-floor recreation room remain largely intact. The period of significance covers the years it served a volunteer company.
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 00001231, listed November 2, 2000. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 316-324 Third St., Troy |
|---|---|
| County | Rensselaer County |
| Listed | November 2, 2000 |
| Reference number | 00001231 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1889-1924 |
| Architectural style | Late Victorian: Queen Anne |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Social History |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Still an active firehouse in excellent condition, with a heavily altered first floor and an intact exterior, second-floor officers' quarters and third floor. The hose tower was demolished in the 1970s. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 42.71945, -73.69269 (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 00001231.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q14706591
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.