Firehouse Art Studio

Welcome to the Firehouse Art Studio! A gathering place to celebrate life, community and art in Chicago's oldest firehouse. We are a mission driven organization focused on self expression, opportunity, and empowerment. Today, the Firehouse Art Studio is a gathering place for creative learning and communal celebration, but many visitors may not realize the significance of the building they’re walking into. The Firehouse Art Studio is actually the oldest firehouse in the City of Chicago! It was the first fire station built after the Chicago fire in 1871. It was constructed in 1872 and opened as a Firehouse in 1873. Chicago Fire Department’s Engine 18 moved into the building that year and it remained their home for the next 135 years. The back area of the building was designed for the horses, the front area for the wagons they pulled. The entire second floor was made up of offices and living quarters, each room with its own fire pole so the sleeping firefighters could quickly slide into action. In 1916, the front facade was redesigned and recessed making room for the widening of Roosevelt Rd. and the back of the building was expanded. The floors were reinforced and the overhead doors were enlarged to make room for a new era of fire trucks that would soon replace the horses and wagons. This was the only major alteration in the building’s history and even then, most of the original features were left untouched.