The old fire station on Chestnut was a favorite spot for children to visit. On a trip to the fire house it was a real thrill to see the firemen slide down the shiny pole from the second floor quarters at the sound of the bell alarm. The pole was eliminated when the station became a one-story fire house, taking away a lot of the glamour of the job as seen through a child’s eyes.

I remember when the fire station was in the 300 block [320] West Chestnut Street, where the Chevrolet garage is, and horses were used to pull the wagons. They had a steam pump engine that was a thrill to see the horses run with, while the smoke poured out. On top of the station was a large bell. It could be heard all over town. It would signal the fire, then ring one at a time to signal the ward it was in—as l, 2, 3, etc. John Cooper was the fire chief, and Don Freels was chief of the south side station at 114 West Texas Street.  —Tom Anderson Memoir