Boston Fire Historical Society

Official Website

  • Home
  • About
    • Mission Statement
    • Contributors
  • Archives & Artifacts
  • Links
  • Listen to BFD
  • Books
  • Contact
  • Events
    • Calendar
    • Buy Tickets: Old Timer’s Day 2018
  • News
  • Donate
You are here: Home / Firehouses / Former Firehouses (Non-extant) / Hose 4 (Charlestown) @ 51 Bunker Hill St., Charlestown

Hose 4 (Charlestown) @ 51 Bunker Hill St., Charlestown

1885 map showing the firehouse location of Hose 4 at 51 Bunker Hill St. at Tufts St., Charlestown.

The firehouse at 51 Bunker Hill St. was located on 800 Sq. Ft. of land at the corner of Bunker Hill and Tufts St. in the Hayes Sq. section of Charlestown and was occupied by Hose Co. 7.  The house was a two story brick building and was built by the Town of Charlestown in 1842.  The Town purchased land from Gilbert Tufts and hired George Adams to build the firehouse at a cost of $1287.

The Town of Charlestown changed to City Government on April 26, 1847.

The Charlestown Fire Department was reorganized in 1866 with the purchase of a steam fire engine and the introduction of water into the City.  On March 20, 1866,  Franklin Engine No. 7 was changed to Franklin Hose Co. 4.  Hose 4 was also located at 51 Bunker Hill St.

The Charlestown Fire Department was reorganized again in October, 1872 when the Department was put on a paid basis.

The City of Charlestown was annexed to Boston on January 5, 1874 and Hose Co. 4 was incorporated into the Boston Fire Department with no change of number.

A new firehouse for Hose Co. 4 was built in 1887 at 44 Monument St. and Hose 4 moved to this location on December 19, 1887.  Hose 4 would become Engine 36 in 1890. The firehouse at 51 Bunker Hill St. was permanently closed.

The firehouse was soon torn down and wooden tenements were built on the site.  The Administration building for the Charlestown public housing development was built at this location in 1940 and occupies the site today.

Recent Posts

  • 6/22/2025 – BFD Department General Orders 1874 – 1880
  • 3/19/2025 – Updated Personnel Listings to 2025; New E17/L7 Firehouse; Collection: FLT William Tassinari; 2024 Multiple Alarm Fires;
  • 11/24/2024 – 2023 General Orders; 2023 Multiple Alarm Fires; Memorial Service Programs; Apparatus Photos; Grave Sites (LODD/Comm./Chief)
  • 4/24/2024 – Updated Personnel Listings
  • 4/18/2024: Cocoanut Grove survivor passes away; Grave sites of Line-of-Duty Deaths & Chiefs of Department – Fire Commissioners





Donate

THE BOSTON FIRE HISTORICAL SOCIETY

Welcome to the redesigned Boston Fire Historical Society website!

Please email us with any questions.

mail@bostonfirehistory.org

There was an issue retrieving stats. Please try again later.
Copyright © 2025 Boston Fire Historical Society · Site Design by JGPR
 

Loading Comments...