Old City Hall and Firehouse, Carlinville, Illinois
The Carlinville Old City Hall on W. Main St. was built in 1897 with offices upstairs along with the meeting room. Below held the Police Department in a long thin area that led to the cells. The firehouse was on the right side of the building and the doors swung open inside to allow the fire apparatus to leave. Early on, of course, they were water wagons with ladders led by horses. They backed the wagons into the building so the horses could be hitched up.
In 1953, the Carlinville Moose Lodge volunteered to buy and furnish the city with a new and long desired siren. The new alarm system replaced the antiquated bell atop City Hall in sounding fire alarms and police calls. The original bell is on display outside the current firehouse.
After the police and fire departments moved out to their own buildings, the City moved its business end of things downstairs into the vacated space. The upstairs was used as a storage area for 20 cots, in case a temporary hospital needed to be set up, along with space to store police evidence. This building saw continued use as a city office into the 1990s.
Carlinville is the seat of Macoupin County in south central Illinois. At the 2020 census, the population of Carlinville was 5,710.
Source: Site Of Old City Hall And Firehouse, Carlinville Public Library
Old City Hall and Firehouse, Carlinville, Illinois
The Carlinville Old City Hall on W. Main St. was built in 1897 with offices upstairs along with the meeting room. Below held the Police Department in a long thin area that led to the cells. The firehouse was on the right side of the building and the doors swung open inside to allow the fire apparatus to leave. Early on, of course, they were water wagons with ladders led by horses. They backed the wagons into the building so the horses could be hitched up.
In 1953, the Carlinville Moose Lodge volunteered to buy and furnish the city with a new and long desired siren. The new alarm system replaced the antiquated bell atop City Hall in sounding fire alarms and police calls. The original bell is on display outside the current firehouse.
After the police and fire departments moved out to their own buildings, the City moved its business end of things downstairs into the vacated space. The upstairs was used as a storage area for 20 cots, in case a temporary hospital needed to be set up, along with space to store police evidence. This building saw continued use as a city office into the 1990s.
Carlinville is the seat of Macoupin County in south central Illinois. At the 2020 census, the population of Carlinville was 5,710.
Source: Site Of Old City Hall And Firehouse, Carlinville Public Library