Old Fire Station

The projects of the New Deal rescued the country from economic despair and allowed millions of Americans to find employment and security. Some of these projects were massive and led to the creation of world-famous buildings like the Empire State Building, but others were much smaller and were only known locally. One of these smaller buildings is Chester’s stone firehouse, which was built to employ locals during the Great Depression and give the town a valuable addition. The firehouse is locally known for its stone exterior that has barely changed since when it was built.

Interestingly enough, the firehouse was actually built from a different Chester landmark, the J.G. Ballard House, which was demolished to make room for a highway. To avoid wasting materials, the stone was reused to create the firehouse. Since then, the doors have been changed to account for modern firefighting equipment, though it still retains its former look and is registered as a historic place. When you visit this beautiful building, you will be able to see a project that helped get people back on their feet during a chaotic time.