Welcome Home Engine 16!

First organized in 1887, Engine Company number 16 in San Francisco, CA has seen a lot of changes to both her neighborhoods and her houses.

Originally organized in the Dog Patch neighborhood at 1009 Tennessee St (According to the Guardians of the City Historical Society) Engine 16 replaced Hose Wagon 7.

In 1926 a brand new state of the art station was built a block up Tennessee.

From the Guardians of the City:

City Architect John Reid Jr. designed this two-story brick structure to replace the original 1887 home of 16 Engine that was a block away at 1009 Tennessee Street.  A two-story brick firehouse with a cornice brightened with small colored tiles, terra cotta keystones accent the arched dormitory windows and plaques above the doors.  Off of Third Street, near the Pier 70 complex,    in what is called the "Dogpatch"  section of the Potrero District, Engine Company 16 was considered a waterfront company. From the 1880's through World War II the Potrero Point Pier 70 area was a very active shipbuilding and steel manufacturing district. It became the largest civilian shipyard on the west coast.  This firehouse is located on a bigger plot of land owned the City. To the rear of the firehouse on the corner of 3rd and 19th Streets are the former Potrero Police Station and the neighbor Public Health Emergency room.  Engine Company No.16 was disbanded on July 1, 1970, due to ordered City budget cuts to the Fire Department.  From 1970 to 1976 the firehouse was used by Toy Program.  From 1976 to 1992 the house was used as a Museum annex apparatus workshop and collection storage area.  Since 1992 the firehouse is being used by the Department for storage.

Meanwhile, at 2251 Greenwich Street pretty much on the other side of town, Engine 20 and Truck 16 moved into their brand new quarters in 1938.  Truck 16 was incorporated in 1931 and moved to the quarters of Engine 20 at their old location.  This new spot on Greenwich would grow roots.

In 1955 the station was deemed unsafe from earthquakes (You think they'd consider that first) and the units were temporarily moved offsite in 1955 and welcomed back in 1956.

In 1970 Engine 16 was disbanded due to extreme budget cuts.

In 1972, newly reactivated and inspired by a cleaner method of dispatching units (up until then the Department was still on a telegraph / peg board system at most older houses) Engine Company 16 was re-organized to the quarters of Truck 16 on Greenwich Street. Engine 20 moved up the hill to the quarters of Truck 20.

It is this firehouse, at 2251 Greenwich, built in 1956 that I had the privilege of serving for a short spell in 2010.  The old firehouse was a bit drafty but had beautiful wood accents and a great old creaky staircase.  It was small, barely fitting the engine and truck and all that comes with it, also backing up to a one way alley.  This is the firehouse my little ones came to.  There is no parking lot, we swapped spaces on the narrow streets around the station, sometimes having to double park for an hour or so at shift change.

This is the firehouse where I filmed this walk around Engine 16 for the Chronicles of EMS.  Notice how small the app floor is!

The house got a coat of deep red paint at some point in the 70's as did many of the older houses, including 8 and 1 downtown and that is how she stayed until torn down...again...because of concerns over earthquakes.

That was 3 years ago.

Just last week Engine and Truck 16 returned to 2251 Greenwich (for the first time since 1956) to a brand new, state of the art Firehouse that I think still nods back to the early days of Engine 16 on Tennessee and the original house from 1938.

Welcome home 16!