Ladder 12 / Engine 13 firehouse 1046 Tremont St., Roxbury (1896)
The firehouse at 1046 Tremont St. was built to replace the firehouse destroyed in the Roxbury fire of 1894. The new firehouse was a three story, two bay brick building that was located on 4311 Sq. Ft. of land near the intersection of Cunard St. in Roxbury. District 8 and Ladder 12 moved here from temporary quarters on Whittier St. on May 4, 1896.
Chemical 12 was organized at this location on October 8, 1896 and operated under the direction and command of Ladder 12.
The horse drawn equipment of Ladder 12 was replaced by a motor aerial ladder truck on September 20, 1915.
Chemical 12 was deactivated on August 30, 1918.
On October 11, 1933, the Headquarters of District 8 moved to the new firehouse of Engine 37 and Ladder 26 at 560 Huntington Ave.
Engine Co. 13 was relocated to these quarters from their old firehouse at 201 Cabot St. on April 21, 1938. The firehouse on Cabot St. was permanently closed.
The firehouse at 1046 Tremont St. was closed on June 11, 1960. Ladder 12 was deactivated and Engine 13 was transferred to the quarters of Ladder 23 at 36 Washington St. in Dorchester.
After the Fire Dept. vacated the firehouse, the Boston Fire Patrol, an insurance salvage group, moved in. The firehouse at 1046 Tremont Street was demolished at a later date.
Before the demolition of the firehouse occurred, the cast iron lintel of Chemical 12 was removed. Today, the lintel is displayed in the quarters of the Boston Sparks Association and the Boston Fire Museum at 344 Congress Street, South Boston.
Hose 7 / Ladder 12 firehouse 1046 Tremont St., Roxbury (1872)
The City built a new firehouse in 1872 at 1046 Tremont St. on 4350 Sq. Ft. of land near the corner of Cunard St. in Roxbury. The building was a two story, two bay brick building that extended in the rear through to Cabot St. Elliot Hose Co. 7 relocated here from their old quarters at 185 Cabot St. in May of 1872. The exact date of this move was not recorded by the Fire Department.
A new company, Ladder Co. 12, was organized at this firehouse on July 31, 1880.
On November 28, 1883, the Department Veterinary Hospital was established at Hose 7 quarters. Hoseman George W. Stimson of Hose 7 was appointed as the Hospital Surgeon and placed in charge of the care of Department horses.
In 1884, the headquarters for District 8 was moved from Engine 13 quarters at 201 Cabot St. to the quarters of Hose Co. 7 at 1046 Tremont St. The exact date is not known.
In 1892, the City closed the firehouse for renovations and Hose 7 and Ladder 12 were moved temporarily to the Northampton St. stables of the West End Street Railway on February 22, 1892. The location of the stable was 789 Tremont St. at the corner of Northampton St. The companies returned to the rebuilt firehouse in October, 1892. A third floor was added to the building.
On May 15, 1894, a disastrous fire started in the grandstand of the National League baseball park on nearby Walpole St. and spread over many blocks destroying or damaging over 200 buildings. Included in this total was the firehouse of Hose 7 and Ladder 12. The companies were relocated temporarily to Engine 13 quarters at 201 Cabot St. Hose 7 was quartered in the firehouse, but Ladder 12 was stationed at several locations near the firehouse in the two years they were absent. Hose Co. 7 was deactivated on April 6, 1896. The veterinary hospital which had been located in the rear of the firehouse was moved to space in a rented stable at Washington and Nawn Sts.
District 8 and Ladder 12 moved back to a new firehouse at 1046 Tremont St. on May 4, 1896.
