In 1875, the town of Presque Isle voted to appropriate $500 toward the purchase of a fire hose to be attached to a pump located at the mill by the dam on the Presque Isle Stream. A “company” was then organized for the purpose of working the pump and managing the hose in case of fire.

In 1883, the town suffers another major fire. As a result, in June, the town voted to raise $1,500 with an equal amount to be raised from donations to buy a fire engine. Later that same year the Presque Isle Fire Association, independent of the town, was formed to care for the engine. The Presque Isle Fire Department was incorporated in March of 1886.

After the “Big Fire” destroyed most of both sides of Main Street, the town realized that buckets of water were terribly insufficient to fight fires and decided to pursue a program of fire prevention and containment. Water under pressure was needed and it needed to be accessible from different areas of town. A plan was developed to build a reservoir at the southeastern part of the town, which became Mantle Lake in 1877. A charter from the State was required to begin planned water works. It was at this time that the Presque Isle Water Company was formed.

On Tuesday, March 18, 1912 the business men of Presque Isle gathered for an important Board of Trade meeting. The burning issue of the night was whether or not to build a new fire department quarters or to remodel the old hose house. The existing hose house, which was also used as a jail, was in poor condition and required repairs. In addition, the building was not large enough to accommodate the members of the fire department when they returned from a fire. The vote was held at the annual town meeting on Thursday, March 18 at 9 a.m. in the Perry Theatre. After much discussion, the town voted to construct the new building. The town appropriated $5,500 with an additional $500 to be raised by direct taxation plus a $2,000 loan.

Group President, Athol E. Irving, had already consulted with the architectural firm, Castle and Page of Caribou. The basement was concrete and included a 14 ft X 28 ft jail containing three concrete cells with steel doors. The second, or street, level housed the fire apparatus, horses, and a fireman’s room. It was divided into a stable with stalls for six horses in the rear, a 36 ft X 40 ft room for the fire equipment, a harness room, and a 24 ft X 15 ft room for the firemen. The third story provided a room in front for the Selectmen, a 26 ft X 38 ft Municipal Court room in the rear, and a suite of rooms for the man who cared for the horses and drove the horse powered engine.

By June 20, 1912, the excavation had been completed and by July 25, the basement done. A fireplace for the firemen was being installed with funds from the families of the firemen.

In 1950, the fire station builds an addition. The original portion of the fire station is converted to include the Police Department and the municipal courtroom in 1951. When the new hospital was constructed and patients moved from the Second Street location in 1960, the municipal offices and the courtroom move next door to the current site of City Hall.

The City built a new safety facility on North Street for the Police and Fire Stations in 2001. At that time, the City sold the building at 11-17 Church Street to the Presque Isle Historical Society. The Historical Society is in the process of raising the $2 million needed to renovate this building to become a museum and cultural center.

Fire Station Horses	Hose House
Fire Station Post Card	Fire Station 1925
New Addition in 1950	Fire Station in 2001