Irvington Fire House--Station #25

One of the chief reasons for Irvington's annexation to the city of Indianapolis in 1902 was to obtain police and fire protection. Two disastrous school fires and numerous house blazes demonstrated to many folks in the community that Irvington needed city services. In 1903, the community hired architect John Stem to design a beautiful fire station to fit into the "classic" suburb. Mr. Stem was likely recommended by Hilton U. Brown, the publisher of the Indianapolis News, as the architect had designed Brown's large stone mansion at the southwest corner of East Washington Street and Emerson Avenue. (demolished) Stem's design was unlike any other fire station in the city. By 1903, the National Road or East Washington Street had emerged as the main commercial corridor for Irvington so the town planners placed the fire station at 5432 East Washington Street.

The Irvington Fire Station c1905 at 5432 East Washington Street

Stem opted for a European-styled structure with the first floor exterior sheathed in stone and the upper gables clad with wood shake. Since the first fire engines were powered by horses, the station had a stall on the first floor and a hayloft on the second floor. In the early years of the station, firemen, worked 24-hour shifts for six days of the week on a rotating basis and slept on the second floor. They were allowed to eat meals at home, but most dined at the station. Later, their schedules were modified to a more reasonable time frame.

If neighbors needed to report a fire, then they could run to a nearby fire alarm box scattered throughout the neighborhood. In 1910, there were fire alarm boxes located at several intersections including: Downey and Julian; University and Ohmer; 200 block of South Audubon Road; Beechwood and Burgess; Layman and Lowell; Washington and Ritter; Washington and Arlington; and Washington and Bosart. Many residents already had a telephone by 1910 so they merely had to pick up the receiver and call the station.

On February 8, 1929, Fire Station #25 obtained its first motorized vehicles. The horses, who had been lovingly tended to, were sent away to a nearby farm. The station hosted a Dalmatian and "Spot" became a beloved animal in the neighborhood.

Life for the firefighters was fairly routine. Oral histories conducted by the Irvington branch of the Indianapolis Public Library and now found online revealed that fireman had tasks to do each day. Substitutes or the newer recruits were assigned the worst jobs like stoking the coal furnace in the winter or cleaning out the disgusting spittoons. On Mondays, the men stretched out the hoses to dry and clean them. On Tuesdays, the men conducted inspections of nearby schools and institutions. On Wednesdays, the station was cleaned and the floors scrubbed. On Thursdays and Fridays, they cleaned every inch of the firetrucks and did maintenance work. They had some free time where they could play cards, read, or listen to a ballgame on the radio. Each man was given a task for dinner and the subsequent clean up. They also had assigned beds and each man a monthly night watch.

The Irvington Fire Station (#25) c1929 at 5432 East Washington Street

Over the years, dozens of men served their time in the beautiful but aging chalet of a fire station. Bob McDonnell, a veteran of World War II and an employee for the city fire department since 1938, started working at #25 in the early 1950s. Mr. McDonnell reported that by the mid-twentieth century, the station was in such poor shape that the firemen did not jump into the trucks until they were out on the concrete pad because they worried about the sagging floors.

Bob McDonell worked for Station #25 for many years. In 1958, he helped in the from the old station at 5432 East Washington to the new site at 17 South Sheridan Avenue. 

In November of 1958, the city of Indianapolis vacated the unusual fire station for a modern structure located at 17 South Sheridan Avenue. Sadly, the community had no rules in place to protect such structures so it was torn down very quickly as a nearby car dealership needed space for a parking lot. One can only imagine the reuse of this building in 2015 as a restaurant, a coffee shop, a bookstore, or as a boutique.

To learn more about the station and to see additional photographs click on the link below. Much of the information for this post came from an oral history interview with Errol Evans and from Terry Wilgus, the daughter of Bob McDonnell. Ms. Wilgus also provided the wonderful images.

http://www.digitalindy.org/cdm/compoundobject/collection/ioh/id/1483/rec/28

A Grand Home Along East Washington Street

Some of the most fashionable homes in Irvington sat along Washington Street. The founders of the community never envisioned that great avenue as a commercial corridor. In fact, they put in a small downtown in the 200 block of South Audubon Road. (then called Central Avenue) Over the decades, various entrepreneurs realized that opening businesses along the National Road might yield profitable results so they began buying up the grand old houses and tearing them down.  In 1927,  a local businessman, Robert E. Stevenson, sold his home and large lot at 5698 East Washington for a future Tudor-Revival commercial strip.

Built c1905, the giant home at 5698 East Washington Street had a wrap-around and curved brick porch and an uncovered balcony above.  Smaller balconies jutted out along the side and from the third story.  The Goodwin family is the earliest known family to dwell in the home and they might have built it.  Clarence Goodwin was Vice President of the Indiana Veneer and Lumber Company. He later moved his family to Greensburg, Pennsylvania in 1910.  Other families lived in the house until 1918, when Robert and Mary Stevenson purchased it.  They would remain in the dwelling for the next nine years.

The home was a way for Robert Stevenson to show the world that he had arrived. In the age of "Gatsby" and the Roaring 20s, Mr. Stevenson chased the almighty dollar.  He was always looking for the next big deal. He kept his pretty and younger wife in fur coats and at this time in his life drove fine cars. While the family seemed to enjoy living the American dream, not all was at it seemed with the Stevenson finances. The couple became the guardian of their nephew, Edward Lollis, in 1915. Young Edward noticed that the family would have good times followed by lean times and he vowed later as an adult to avoid such financial volatility.

Sensing yet again another economic opportunity, Mr. Stevenson sold the Washington Street property to developers in 1927.  Little did he know what ominous financial developments awaited Americans. Thousands of people like Robert Stevenson would lose vast sums of money after the Stock Market Crash of 1929.  The Great Depression humbled many people looking for the next big deal.  The days of fur coats and fancy cars were over for many people.

The Stevensons rented a few homes and then purchased another house at 56 South Irvington Avenue in 1932. They tried to continue to live in the same manner as they had at their grand home along East Washington Street, but the money did not come as easily.

Next post:  Life Along Irvington Avenue in the 1930s

Robert and Mary Stevenson and their ward, Edward Lollis, dwelled at 5698 East Washington Street from 1918 to 1927. The home would be torn down in 1927 and replaced with a Tudor-Revival commercial strip.  

Arthur, Robert, and Frank Stevenson stood behind their mother, Kate Stevenson in the front yard at 5698 East Washington Street c1918.  

Edward Lollis was a member of Boy Scout Troop #3. They met in the Irvington Presbyterian Church. It is possible that young Edward was not in a scout uniform, but rather in a uniform of a youth group that drilled during World War One. Edward spent a summer in Fort Knox, Kentucky. Fortunately the war ended before he became of age to serve. In this photo, he stood in front of 5698 East Washington Street in full salute c1918.  

Effie Lenore Johnson Stevenson, wife to Frank Stevenson, stood with her child in front of Robert and Mary Stevenson's home at 5698 East Washington Street c1918.  Note that the flag hanging nearby had only 48 stars on it.

An unidentified man stood in front of 5698 East Washington Street c1918.  You can see the address above his head.  

The large home at 5698 East Washington Street used to sit on the northwest corner of Washington Street and Audubon Road. It was torn down in 1927 to make way for a commercial enterprise.  The Tudor-Revival structure that replaced the home still stands in 2015 and is frequented by thousands each year who flock here for delicious food, unique gifts, and stylish clothing.  

The stories and photos for this post are courtesy of Ted Lollis.