County of building: St. Louis County
Location of building: W. Argonne Dr., middle of block, north side, Kirkwood
Built: 1920
Style: Spanish Revival
Original Occupant: Fire Department
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"123 W. Argonne, Fire Department No. 1. 1920. Architect, unknown. Contractor, Fred
Howell. Contributing.
The building was originally constructed in 1920 and was used as the firehouse at least through
1953. After 1938, the address was changed from 125 W. Argonne, first to 121, but by 1943 to its
current address of 123 W. Argonne. Although Kirkwood Volunteer Fire Company No. 1 was
organized in 1904, fires continued to destroy buildings every year and in 1916, the Missouri
Rating Board warned Kirkwood that it needed more water mains and a paid fire department or its
insurance rating would be raised. As a result, the volunteer fire company announced it would
disband as of April 18, 1918, and in a joint committee with the board of alderman, urged the
immediate creation of a paid department. Voters quickly authorized a paid fire department as
well as $15,000 in bonds for the construction of a firehouse. Fred Howell received the contract
for $7,900 and the additional funding was utilized to purchase the city’s first machine-driven
vehicles. By December 8, 1919 voters had approved $35,000 in bonds for water main
improvements and by early February 1920, the new firehouse was completed and water mains
enlarged, allowing insurance ratings to drop. Today it is used along with 125 W. Argonne as the
offices of the Messenger Printing Company." ~ NRHP Nomination Form
" ... Another
design influenced by the styles of the American Southwest, the city’s original fire station at 123
W. Argonne Drive has a stucco façade with contrasting quoining, a shaped parapet, and a clay
tile, bracketed awning over the second floor window openings." ~ NRHP Nomination Form, PDF page 51
123 W. Argonne, Fire Department No. 1. 1920. Architect, unknown. Contractor, Fred
Howell. Contributing.
The Kirkwood Fire House is a two story red brick building with a white stucco, Spanish Revival
façade. There is a false mansard, Spanish tile roof below a Mission shaped parapet. Brick
quoining details the corners and door opening, which was originally the large door used by the
city’s first motorized fire trucks. This doorway has been infilled with a display window and
simple man door. Flanking this opening are small casement windows. The second floor has four
six over six wood sashed windows. The hose drying tower at the back of the building is still
extant." ~ NRHP Nomination Form