Rockport Fire House

Lakewood History | Lakewood Hotspots | Lakewood Links | Interactive Map

Former Lakewood Fire Station, 1422 Hopkins Ave

Engine House No. 3

Engine House No. 3 was built in 1926. A building boom was on, and eight more firemen were added to the force. City council changed their schedules from 72 hours on duty and 24 hours off to just 24 hours on and 24 off. Firefighters also received a two-week vacation with pay after a year of service. This engine house opened in 1927 with two officers and eight firemen. In 1939, the Ohio legislature passed a law reducing firefighters’ hours of duty to not exceed 72 hours per week. Because of this, Engine House No. 3 was closed so the men could fill in the ranks at the other stations.

History of Lakewood Fire Department

Lakewood’s fire department began with a volunteer force in 1902. J.A. Mastick owned a funeral home at the northeast corner of Detroit and St. Charles Ave. and kept the hose wagon and horses in a barn behind it. The hamlet’s population was about 3,300. In 1910, an official department was established — with Chief Eyner Buhl and three firemen (William Curry, Jacob Hennie and Henry Bulky), plus volunteers who were paid 50 cents hourly per fire. The hose wagon and horses were now kept in a barn behind the first city hall (on the former Tegardine estate). The village also purchased a horse and buggy for the chief. Soon afterward, Lakewood got its first motorized fire engine. In 1911, when Lakewood became a city, the department was reorganized and members had to take a Civil Service Examination.

The first official chief was Joseph H. Speddy, who worked 16 years fighting fires at Standard Oil Company in Cleveland. Chief Speddy served until he passed away in 1931. (Of the original firefighters, only William Curry and Jacob Hennie remained with the department.) In 1913, a simple two-story brick fire station was built in place of the barn, sharing it with the police. Engine No. 2 and a service truck were purchased. In 1915, the city purchased a Pulmotor and a Peerless Roadster for the chief, and sold the last of the horses. And a large water supply tank was built just south of the fire department (which was torn down in 1936).

In 1918, the city built Engine House No. 2 at the northeast corner of Detroit and Kenilworth. Lakewood had a building boom, with many new three to four-floor buildings, so Chief Speddy requested an 85-foot aerial truck. This required an extension on the back of Engine House No. 1 — made possible by the police department moving out. In 1926, the Alarm Office was set up, with wires strung from factories and locations close to schools, as well as street box alarms still in use today.

In addition, Engine House No. 3 was built on Hopkins Ave. near Detroit. By 1931,the department had 65 firefighters. It also won Grand Prize in National Fire Prevention; and for 13 years previous had won first place among cities of 50 to 100,000 population— a record still standing as the only city in the U.S. to win 13 national awards in that class. The original station was torn down for Marc’s Plaza. The department now has 94 members under Chief Lawrence E. Mroz. Of the original Lakewood firefighters, Jacob Hennie started a family tradition: his son Walter, and grandsons, Walter Jr. and Doug Hennie, all have been Lakewood firefighters. Doug is currently a captain.

Information provided by the Lakewood Public Library

Back to Top^