Quinsigamond Firehouse
15 Blackstone River Road
Clustered together with churches, a school, and a library building, the Quinsigamond Firehouse plays a key role in creating for Quinsigamond Village the appearance of a small town center. The solid character and Romanesque Revival detailing of this two-and-one-half-story 1892 brick firehouse provide it with the substantial quality and urban character that in the late-19th and early-20th centuries identified the village as a unique and distinct section of the city. While little survives of the nearby wire factory (originally Washburn & Moen and later United States Steel), which spurred the growth of the village, the old firehouse and other institutional buildings preserve the look of the village when it was a nearly self-sufficient community inhabited mostly by Swedish wire workers.
Since its inclusion on Preservation Worcester’s 1995 Most Endangered Structures List, the Quinsigamond Firehouse has shown increased signs of neglect. Windows are broken, the brickwork needs re-pointing, and a hole at the eaves offers easy access to wildlife. This important institutional building deserves both immediate attention and long-term preservation.