The Architectural History of Marietta, Georgia's No. 1 Engine House
Disciplines
Architectural History and Criticism
Abstract (300 words maximum)
The transition from volunteer-run to professional fire departments in mid to late 1800’s America led to a dramatic shift in the architectural style of new fire stations. Marietta, Georgia’s No. 1 Engine House, built in 1886, reconciled a heroic volunteer department with an architectural style influenced by the professional departments of its time in larger cities. Unlike many other historic buildings in Marietta, the No. 1 Engine House, which has a similarly long and venerable history, has been of little scholarly interest. This is likely due to its architecture resembling an ordinary commercial building rather than an integral part of an Antebellum town. This case study of Marietta’s No. 1 Engine House was conducted by comparing historic local documents and photographs against general trends in American fire station design of the time. Towns are rarely shaped by their own needs. In this case, nationwide trends compelled the small town of Marietta to adopt an architectural style contrary to its own aesthetic needs.
Academic department under which the project should be listed
CACM - Architecture
Primary Investigator (PI) Name
Marietta Monaghan
The Architectural History of Marietta, Georgia's No. 1 Engine House
The transition from volunteer-run to professional fire departments in mid to late 1800’s America led to a dramatic shift in the architectural style of new fire stations. Marietta, Georgia’s No. 1 Engine House, built in 1886, reconciled a heroic volunteer department with an architectural style influenced by the professional departments of its time in larger cities. Unlike many other historic buildings in Marietta, the No. 1 Engine House, which has a similarly long and venerable history, has been of little scholarly interest. This is likely due to its architecture resembling an ordinary commercial building rather than an integral part of an Antebellum town. This case study of Marietta’s No. 1 Engine House was conducted by comparing historic local documents and photographs against general trends in American fire station design of the time. Towns are rarely shaped by their own needs. In this case, nationwide trends compelled the small town of Marietta to adopt an architectural style contrary to its own aesthetic needs.