Ruston Central Fire Station Traditional Cache
Ruston Central Fire Station
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The cache is a baby soda bottle.
The Ruston Central Fire Station stands on a corner at the edge
of the community's central business district. The two story stucco
over poured concrete structure was erected in 1926. The building
presents a restrained appearance and does not reflect any
particular style. Its exterior features of note are overhanging
eaves, paired windows, and brick lintels and window sills.
The Ruston Central Fire Station is locally significant in the
area of social history within the Lincoln Parish community of
Ruston because the building represents an important event in the
community's development. That event was the professionalization, or
"coming of age," of the city's fire department.
Ruston was founded in 1883 when the Vicksburg, Shreveport, and
Pacific Railroad came through Lincoln Parish. However, when town
founder Robert E. Russ donated lots for a courthouse, school,
cemetery, and three churches, he failed to make a similar donation
for a fire department. As a result, the city's first piece of
fire-fighting equipment, a two-wheeled tank with a hand pump, was
stored outside the mayor's office. When a fire occurred, this tank
was pushed to the blaze by any manpower available.
The Ruston Volunteer Fire Department was not established until
1897, when the community obtained running water. At this time the
town bought a new horse-drawn hose and ladder wagon and built a
fire station to house it. However, this station was little more
than a stable to shelter the wagon and the two horses needed to
pull it.
Ruston's fire department was motorized in 1915, but the town's
first fire truck lacked the ability to pump water. This problem was
corrected in 1924 by the purchase of an American-LaFrance pumper
truck. Despite these improvements in fire protection, the fire
department remained a volunteer organization until 1926. In that
year the city ordered its second fire truck and replaced the small
1897 fire hall with a modern structure designed to house four
vehicles. In addition to a large engine room, the new Central Fire
Station also contained an office, kitchen, guest room, showers, and
an eight bed dormitory. Thus, by providing a fire fighting
headquarters which could be manned 24 hours a day, the new building
made the founding of the city's first full time fire department
possible. In 1929, the first records log was started and has been a
great source of written information. One recorded story on October
23, 1929, states that at 4 pm, firemen answered the call for a fire
at the Wilder Cotton Gin but were called back to the station
because it was outside of the city limits. The gin burned down and
many wealthy citizens who lost large quantities of cotton bales
requested that the firemen be fired; instead, four of the five
firemen resigned.
This landmark is listed on the National Register of Historic
Places, and has recently been restored, thanks to the efforts of
many dedicated people who had a vision for its restoration. The
station, which still has the original ceiling and fireman’s pole,
is available to rent for people to enjoy celebrations in a building
of local historic significance.
Source: Ruston/Lincoln Economic & Community Development
Newsletter, Volume 1, Issue 1.
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
1fg cbyr sebz pbeare.
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