The Dallas Fire Station #11 in Oak Lawn is the oldest fire station in the Dallas area and has become a historical landmark. The beautiful brick building was erected in 1909 as the Number 4 Hook and Ladder and has been a neighborhood landmark for over a century. Although it had a $600,000 renovation in 1985 to become part of the historical registry, since then, budget restraints had allowed the building to go into disrepair, including its tile roof. Finally in 2012, generous donations made it possible for the firehouse to get the remodel and repairs it needed.
Replacing The Fire House Roof
Fire Station #11 has one of the shining examples of tile roofing from the early 1900’s. The station was built with Ludowici French low profile tiles that were introduced by the Ludowici Company in 1890’s. The Ludowici family has been making tile for 400 years when the family lived in Rome. Then they moved to Germany and finally to Chicago where they started the Ludowici Roof Tile Company in 1888. It was tile from this prestigious lineage that adorned the original firehouse when it was built over a hundred years ago.
Since the fire station is a historical landmark, the Dallas Preservation Society headed the project with private donations made to the Adopt-a Station and a $50,000 grant. One private anonymous donor gave $225,000, which made up the bulk of the money needed for both the roof repair and other improvements. Without these contributions, none of the needed remodeling, such as the new roof and new air conditioning and heating system, could have been done.
The new roof was desperately needed. There had been many leaks, and since the renovation in 1985, there had not been funds to do any major repairs. The roof had been leaking for some time and the donations came just in time to get the roof repaired before another winter.
In October 2012, Old Pro Roofing LLC, a quality Dallas roofing company, was chosen to install the new roof. This project was carefully completed to ensure that not only was the new roof made to last, but also that it stayed within the historical society’s standards. Old Pro Roofing used Ludowici tile made in the early 1900’s to keep it genuine. The end result was a beautiful new roof that still kept the integrity of authenticity of the original roof that the fire station was built with.
For the Dallas Fire Station #11, or No. 4 Hook and Ladder Company as it was originally known, there is a sound new roof perching upon their firehouse thanks to the combined efforts of many local people and organizations. The three-dozen firefighters that work at this local historical treasure are surely grateful for the donations and efforts of the community to keep their station leak free and comfortable for them in between fighting fires. It is heart warming what can be done when everyone pulls together to make a difference!
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