Firemen's Hall was an outstanding civic
building with ornamental facade, high ceilings and windows and meeting
rooms on the top floor, It was built in 1853 on Mercer Street, just
south of Houston Street, as the headquarters and center of all administration
and official activity for the Volunteer Department. In 1865, it
became the headquarters of the new Metropolitan Fire Department.
The new commissioners of the paid department set up their
offices in the front portion of the second floor. The Fire
Alarm Central
Officer was installed in 1878 after being moved from the basement
of City Hall and took up offices in the rear of the second
floor.
There were two apparatus rooms on the first floor with a central
hall and stairs. One apparatus room was used for the rigs
of the
commissioners. The other housed a hand-drawn hose cart to be manned
by clerks and fire alarm personnel in case of a fire in
the building.
In 1879, after two very bad fires in the area, the commissioners
decided to move the headquarters and alarm system to a fireproof
building in a less hazardous location. On January 1, 1887, headquarters
and the alarm system moved to East 67th Street.
The first paid company, Ladder 20, was
assigned to Mercer Street on April 1, 1889. The interior of the
building was altered and wide apparatus doors were installed in
the 1920s. Engine 13 moved in on November 15, 1948, Battalion
5 on April 1, 1959. E-13 and L-20 moved to Lafayette Street and
Battalion 5 to 42 Great Jones St 1974. 155 Mercer Street later
was sold and today, is an art center.
Ladder 20 Company Portrait Ladder Company 20.
[Postcard]. New York: Hastings & Miller; 3" x 4".
Note: Members are pictured in front of quarters.
L20.2.
Ladder 20.
Ladder 20 Dederick Aerial Ladder.
[Photograph]. New York: FDNY; 1910; 5" x 7".
Note: Two copies of photograph on file. Members are pictured raising
ladder.
L20.3.
Ladder 20.
Lerch, Jack. Ladder 20 100' Seagrave 1987 Tiller.[Photograph].
New York: Jack Lerch; 1987; 4" x 6".
Note: Photograph taken at the FDNY Bureau of Training.
L20.5.
Ladder 20.
Lerch, Jack. Ladder 20 Seagrave 1987 Tiller.
[Photograph]. New York: Jack Lerch; 1987; 4" x 6".
Note: Photograph taken at the FDNY Bureau of Training.
L20.6.
Ladder 20.
