Old Central Fire Station, Greensboro

The Old Central Fire Station in Greensboro stands as a distinguished example of early 20th-century civic architecture and public service history. Designed by renowned architect Charles C. Hartmann and completed in 1926, the building served as the city's primary fire station for over five decades. Executed in the Renaissance Revival style, the two-story red brick structure is notable for its carved granite detailing, low, flattened arches, and a striking six-bay-wide central pavilion supported by robust granite pilasters. Originally, a six-story training and hose-drying tower rose above the building, though it was removed in the early 1950s.

The firehouse once housed four companies, a garage, and a sophisticated Gamewell alarm system connected to dozens of street boxes citywide. It formed part of a larger municipal complex that included a jail and city hall, though today it is the only surviving element of that ensemble.

Decommissioned in 1980 when operations moved to the new Church Street Station, the Old Central Fire Station has since been incorporated into the Marriott Hotel complex. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1980, it endures as a symbol of Greensboro’s commitment to public safety and architectural preservation.