The Fire Cache is the more easterly of two nearly identical buildings lining the north edge of the utility area. The long, low, dark brown painted building front has seven overhead doors across the front and an entry door toward each end. On each end are offices. This is one of the many buildings in the utility area which was constructed by the CCC.
CCC crews constructed buildings #428 and #444 at an estimated cost of $5,500 per building. The buildings were remodeled in 1942 and again in 1961 to increase office space. The original garage doors, double side-hinged vertical plank with cross-bracing, were likely replaced with the current overhead doors during the 1961 remodel.
From the NRHP Registration Form
Building #428
Buildings #428 and #444 contribute to the St. Mary Utility Area Historic District. These one-story long rectangular buildings form the north wing of the building complex and are thus critical to the historic site plan.
Building #428 is sided with 12" lapped horizontal wood siding. Green modern metal panels cover the wood frame shed roof. There are no eaves. The building rests on a concrete foundation. Two pedestrian doors, located at the north and south extremes of the front (southwest) elevation, are solid wood with simple brass hardware. The seven modern overhead garage doors, also on the front elevation, are panelled wood with single light fenestration arranged in groups of three. Fenestration within the front elevation is limited to a six-light by six-light casement window, located at the south end of the elevation and associated with the office space.
The interior is divided into eight rooms. At the northwest end of the building, three rooms serve as office space for the St. Mary Utility Area. These offices have linoleum floors, and painted-plywood ceilings and walls, finished with battens and with 4" dimensional lumber baseboards. The doors are single panel wood with simple brass hardware. Door and window surrounds are constructed of 1"x3" lumber.
An office and truck stall are located southeast of the maintenance offices. The floor in the stall is concrete and a section of the office floor is 6" fir, painted. The walls and ceilings of both rooms are painted plywood, finished with battens. The stall is accessed by two overhead garage doors.
A large unfinished garage space, accessed by five garage doors, is located to the northwest of the office/stall. Three offices, sided with plywood sheets, have been partitioned from the primary garage space. These rooms are elevated from the asphalt floor of the garage. Exterior interior walls of the garage space are unfinished. The exterior interior walls of the offices are constructed of 6" horizontal wood planks. Partition walls are covered with plywood sheets. Ceiling surfaces in the garage and two offices remain unfinished. The fourth ceiling is covered with 6" horizontal wood planks. Entry to each office is provided by a modern hollow core door with simple brass hardware.
From the NRHP Registration Form