Plaza Fire House

The Plaza Fire House, the oldest firehouse in Los Angeles

By the Plaza de Los Angeles stands the oldest firehouse in the city. Built at the end of the nineteenth century, it was the first building in Los Angeles designed specifically for firefighters. The Los Angeles audio-guided tour stops here to evoke the beginnings of the public services of the young city.

An 1884 firehouse turned museum

Built in 1884, the Plaza Fire House, also called the Old Plaza Firehouse or Fire House No. 1, is the oldest firehouse in Los Angeles. The first building in the city designed to house the fire services, it illustrates the emerging organisation of the city at the end of the nineteenth century. Restored, it has been turned into a museum displaying old firefighting equipment.

What to see

The museum displays old firefighting equipment and retraces the beginnings of the Los Angeles fire service. The building, modest and well preserved, completes the discovery of the oldest buildings of the El Pueblo district. It is a curious and instructive stop, shedding light on an often-forgotten aspect of the city's urban history.

Practical information

The Plaza Fire House lies by the Plaza de Los Angeles, in the El Pueblo district, in the centre of the city, reachable on foot. Now a museum, it can be visited; entry is generally free, but opening hours may vary by day and season. It is best to check them before coming.

When was the Plaza Fire House built?

In 1884; it is the oldest firehouse in Los Angeles, the first building in the city designed for the fire services.

What is there to see at the Plaza Fire House?

Old firefighting equipment, in a museum that retraces the beginnings of the Los Angeles fire service, in the heart of El Pueblo.