Buildings of New England

Built in 1870 in downtown Nashua, New Hampshire, this brick Italianate fire station served the city of Nashua for over 150 years through a variety of uses. The three-bay station originally housed a steam engine that was pulled by horse, as the city continued to grow with the development of industry along the Nashua River, additional stations were built. The station features a hose and bell tower which not only allowed for fire alarms to ring when a fire was reported, but also to hang and dry canvas hoses after use. By 1970, the station’s 100th year, the department had outgrown the place, setting in motion plans to build a new station in southwestern Nashua, which became Station 6.

The station sat vacant for years and many locals feared it would face demolition for surface parking, until Nashua’s growing Arts and Science Center – later the Nashua Center for the Arts – renovated the old station, and moved in. After that, the space was utilized as a community arts center and theater, and most recently (2019) as a micro-brewery, Liquid Therapy.