Fire Engine House No. 9
Why it's listed
Built in 1899 at 1810-1812 Keene Street, Fire Engine House No. 9 is a two-story loadbearing brick fire station in Houston's Fifth Ward. Architect William A. McMillen designed it as one of several stations built after the city created a paid fire department in 1895. It housed five firemen, a horse-drawn hose wagon and a steam pumper until about 1908, then stored a Hayes Aerial Truck. The fire department left the building by the 1920s, and a mattress company and later a roofing company occupied it without major alterations. Surviving features include a black metal cornice, a decorative brick parapet, cast-stone window hoods, original wooden doors and interior woodwork. Only two 19th-century fire houses remain in Houston, and this is one of them. It is also one of two known surviving works by McMillen. The building is vacant and in fair condition, and it stands among empty lots in a neighborhood damaged by fires.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the building is architecturally and historically significant as a well-preserved example of Houston's turn-of-the-century firehouses, one of only two 19th-century fire houses still standing in the city. It is tied to the start of the city's paid, professional fire department and to the growth of the Fifth Ward. It is also one of only two surviving works by McMillen.
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 85003238, listed October 17, 1985. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 1810--1812 Keene St., Houston |
|---|---|
| County | Harris County |
| Listed | October 17, 1985 |
| Reference number | 85003238 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1800-1899 |
| Architect / builder | William A. McMillen |
| Architectural style | Richardsonian Romanesque in spirit (window treatment) |
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Social History |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Described as currently vacant and in fair condition, structurally sound, with restoration planned; original windows are in storage. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 29.77566, -95.35158 (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.
Noted as vacant in the nomination. Nomination documents can be decades old; current status may differ. If you are considering buying an empty listed property, read the due-diligence checklist.
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 85003238.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q110002186
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.