Fire Station No. 1
A streamlined symbol of civic infrastructure: Los Angeles’s second fire station, and a modernist masterpiece of Depression-era public building.
At a glance
This two-story Streamline Moderne structure in Lincoln Heights replaced the city’s first professional fire station, which operated from 1887 three blocks west. Completed in 1941, it remains a testament to New Deal-era civic pride and design ambition.
History
Los Angeles’s first full-time, professional fire station opened in 1887, marking the city’s transition from volunteer to permanent firefighting services. By the 1940s, the original building required replacement. Designed by P. K. Schabarum and Charles O. Brittain of the Los Angeles City Department of Construction, the new station rose under the Works Progress Administration—a federal employment program that funded thousands of American public buildings during the Great Depression. The city contributed $29,000 toward the $65,000 total cost. Station No. 1 opened on March 6, 1941, housing Engine Company No. 1, Truck Company No. 1, and Battalion Chief 2 headquarters.
What you see
The 6,534-square-foot station exemplifies Streamline Moderne, the machine-age style that dominated American civic architecture in the late 1930s and 1940s. Built of reinforced concrete in a two-story configuration, the design prioritizes functional clarity and horizontal lines characteristic of the era. Streamline Moderne echoed the optimism of technological progress while remaining economical to construct—ideal for Depression-era public commissions.
Cultural significance
Station No. 1 embodies the New Deal’s democratic vision: quality design and durable materials for working public institutions. Its Streamline Moderne aesthetic reflects 1940s American confidence in modernity, industry, and civic service. The building documents the professionalization of firefighting and stands as a rare surviving example of WPA-funded municipal architecture in Los Angeles.
Key facts
- Built: 1941
- Architects: P. K. Schabarum & Charles O. Brittain
- Location: 2230 Pasadena Avenue, Lincoln Heights, Los Angeles
- Style: Streamline Moderne
- Construction cost: $65,000 USD
- Size: 6,534 square feet
- Opened: March 6, 1941
- Historic designation: Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monument No. 156 (designated July 7, 1976)
- Coordinates: 34.07527778, -118.21833333
Practical information & getting there
The station is located at 2230 Pasadena Avenue in the Lincoln Heights neighborhood of Los Angeles. It remains an active fire station. The building is viewable from the street; interior access is not available to the general public.
Sources & resources
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