This firehouse was built in 1949 upon the same site an earlier firehouse had been built in 1866. It is located at 127 Mount Vernon Street, at the corner of River Street, near Charles Street in the Beacon Hill section of the city.
This site was first used as a firehouse on August 5, 1847 when Hand Engine 4 was organized. The address at the time was 60 River Street. Later, Hose Company 7 (River Street) was organized here on August 1, 1860. Hose 7 was disbanded on June 1, 1862 and Engine Company 10 was organized.
On June 2, 1868 names and numbers for all fire companies were authorized. Engine 10 became Warren No. 10. Names and numbers continued until 1873 when all fire companies converted to numbers only, as they remain today.
Engine 10 stayed here until February 14, 1946 when construction of the current firehouse commenced. Engine 10 moved into the new firehouse on April 14, 1949, and the address was changed to 127 Mt. Vernon Street. Engine 10 remained here until 1982, when the company moved to 123 Oliver Street, Downtown.
In 1982, the firehouse became the quarters of the Safety Division On-Duty chief (H-1) and continued as such until 1995 when the Fire Department gave up possession of the building.
Due to its location on Beacon Hill and its blending into the neighborhood, the building has been a popular place for media the use as a backdrop for a feel of the Real Boston. The television show Spenser For Hire used the firehouse as the home of the series star Spenser, played by actor Robert Urich, which ran from 1985 to 1988. The MTV series The Real World used the firehouse as the Boston site of the series, which was broadcast in 1997.
The firehouse remains extant and is now the site of a community center, Hill House, serving the residents of the Beacon Hill community.