A local landmark retires from service

In preparation for the Fire Barn’s removal, the Orcas Island Historical Museums is processing exhibit supplies and artifacts that have been stored inside (mostly oversize items and agricultural equipment). As we continue to inventory and evaluate our collections we occasionally find objects that have missing or incomplete documentation. In these cases, the Museums must follow Washington State’s Notice of Abandoned Property (RCW 63.26.040) to either identify the original donor or take official ownership of the item.

History of the Fire Barn
Likely constructed by Dave Nicols in the 1930’s, the Fire Barn started its life as the garage for a Standard Oil truck that made deliveries around the island. Howard Wilson was the delivery driver, perhaps a fitting career as he also drove the Eastsound school bus for 32 years. Howard and his wife Geneva lived between North Beach and Prune Alley roads with an impressive garden spanning up to present-day Olga Rising Cafe. When the garage wasn’t needed for the Standard Oil truck any longer, the Wilsons’ son, Howard B “Rusty”, converted the building into a personal residence.

After World War 2, the garage-turned-residence was moved to the intersection of Prune Alley & Rose Street to the site of the new fire station, and subsequently reconverted back into a garage to house Eastsound’s first fire truck. The much-needed vehicle was purchased secondhand in 1948, the same year that the Orcas Island Fire Protection District was voted into existence. Apparently there were drawbacks: a notoriously unpredictable battery required jump-starts, and the carburetor preferred a swig of gas to get going. The Fire Barn was situated on a small rise in the ground so the fire truck could be pushed and jump-started.

Unfortunately, this little truck that could, eventually couldn’t. Just two years later in 1950, the truck engine froze and was ruined. The Fire Barn was eventually wired for electricity so that a heater could be installed. It’s unclear when the garage became known as the “Fire Barn” but it was still actively being used by the department in the mid-1960s when a brand-new Ford Class A Pumper with 1,000 gallon capacity was purchased and housed there. This Ford fire engine may be more familiar than you expect– it was purchased by the Orcas Island Volunteer Firefighter Association and now appears in parades and community events.

The Orcas Fire Station #26 was rebuilt on Rose Street in 1981, although it is currently occupied by Matia Kitchen and Lounge (also the former home of the beloved Roses Bakery & Cafe). Around the time of station rebuild, the Fire Barn was moved to its present site at the Orcas Island Historical Museum in the early 1980s. The Museum has used it for events, over-sized artifact storage, and even a fireworks booth. As this era of the Fire Barn comes to a close, we are asking the community to review any unidentified objects that have been listed on the Claims page of our website. We will continue to document the lifespan of this iconic building and are gladly accepting photos, facts, and reminiscences.