Old Fire House No. 4 (Kalamazoo, Michigan)

As the north side of Kalamazoo grew in the late 1800s, there was a need for greater fire protection in that part of the city. In 1887, the city purchased land for a new station and hired local architect Martin W. Roberts to design a new station. Contractor Alexander Robbins of Kalamazoo constructed the station, and it was in use by the end of 1887. In 1901, a matching addition on one side of the station was constructed to house a new fire truck. The city used the station until 1956, when it was sold. In the 1980s it was used as a warehouse.^[2] It was later refurbished into office space. In 2009, "Rescued Treasures," a thrift store associated with the nearby Kalamazoo Gospel Mission, was constructed adjacent to the building.^[3][4]

Old Fire House No. 4 is a two-story brick Late Victorian structure; the original section is two bays wide. It has a pyramid-roof tower at one corner, and paneled brick detailing.^[2]