The current building is the third firehouse on this site.

The Young America Engine Company, with their hand drawn apparatus, occupied the first firehouse, built here in 1854. In 1868, Engine Company No. 7, with a modern horse-drawn steam engine, was stationed here.

The second firehouse was destroyed by the 1906 Fire and replaced in 1908 by the firehouse which is still with us.

In 1968, Engine Company No. 7 moved to new quarters in Diamond Heights, and the City & County sold the firehouse at public auction.

It has housed several different businesses since being decommissioned. Today it is home to the Kilowatt Bar, where the ghosts of many firemen are no doubt happily at home.

Most vintage firehouses in San Francisco are immediately identifiable, but I had passed this building hundreds of times without realizing that it was once a firehouse, probably because the main carriage door has been reduced in size and the hose tower at the rear of the building on Albion Street is easily missed from 16th Street.

Vintage San Francisco Firehouses

Engine Company No. 1, 451 Pacific Avenue
Engine Company No. 2, 460 Bush Street
Engine Company No. 7, 3160 16th Street
Engine Company No. 8, 1648 Pacific Avenue
Engine Company No. 9 and Fire Boat House, Pier 22½, Embarcadero at Harrison

Engine Company No. 13, 1458 Valencia Street
Engine Company No. 14, 1051 McAllister Street
Engine Company No. 16, 909 Tennessee Street
Engine Company No. 21, 1152 Oak Street
Engine Company No. 22, 1348 10th Avenue

Engine Company No. 23, 3022 Washington Street
Engine Company No. 24, 100 Hoffman Avenue
Engine Company No. 25, 3305 Third Street
Engine Company No. 27, 52 Waller Street
Engine Company No. 30, 1757 Waller Street

Engine Company No. 31, 1088 Green Street
Engine Company No. 33, 117 Broad Street
Engine Company No. 37, 2501 25th Street
Engine Company No. 40, 1249 Clayton Street
Engine Company No. 43, 724 Brazil Avenue

Engine Company No. 44, 3816 22nd Street
Engine Company No. 47, 1298 Girard Street
Engine Company No. 48, 798 Wisconsin Street
Dennis T Sullivan Memorial Fire Chief's Home
Pumping Station No. 2
Underwriter's Fire Patrol, 147 Natoma Street

GuardiansofTheCity.org is the definitive Web guide to San Francisco firehouses, both vintage and modern.