Station History
About 40 years before the fire department was founded, the newspapers of the day were calling for such an organization to protect Asheville. Many conflagrations were destroying other cities around the country, but so far Asheville had been spared. The Town of Asheville was founded in 1797, and since that time fire was fought only with the help of neighbors and what water-holding vessels and wells and streams were around. An 1858 Asheville News article stated the 1500 citizens of Asheville could only ring bells, yell “Fire!” and hope people would come to help.
Finally, on May 2nd, 1882, the Asheville Fire Department was founded with J.P. Sawyer appointed the first chief, and E. J. Aston his assistant. The first headquarters for the all-volunteer department was in the Buncombe County Courthouse (shown), with the first rough-plank building to house the fire apparatus built behind it next to the jail sometime after October. The new Hook and Ladder apparatus, built in Rochester, NY, arrived in November and consisted of a hand-drawn wagon with ladders, buckets, chemical extinguishers, and minimal tools. The fire district comprised ¼ square mile.
Agendas and Documents |
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Agenda |
Documents |
| February 26, 2024 Agenda | February 26, 2024 Documents |
| June 3, 2021 Agenda | May 13, Documents |
| March 25, 2022 Agenda | March 25, 2022 Documents |