Oakland Fire Bells and Buildings
Oakland City Fire Bell
Oakland City Fire Bell
Oakland City Fire Bell
Purchased by the City of Oakland in 1877. In service from1878-1911. in Service in the wooden Bell Tower located on site of Present City Hall and the old Fire Alarm Station Headquarters. It was moved to make room for the Current City Hall and the opening of the new Fire Alarm Building in 1914. This bell is 2,880 lbs, which is 800 lbs more than the Liberty Bell and sounds Alarms in the key of E. Original cost was $1,039. The bell now sits in the outer cove of the Oakland Museum.
Bell Tower
Oakland City Fire Bell
Oakland City Fire Bell
This bell was located on the left side of City Hall and just in front of Station 1, which was located behind City Hall The Bell tower was removed to make room for the Present City Hall. Work on the Present City Hall until the Fire Alarm building at 1310 Oak St was completed and operational. This allowed for the removal of the Tower and Station 1 that contained Fire Alarm dispatch on its 3rd Fl
Old City Hall 1906
Oakland City Fire Bell
Old City Hall 1906
This bell tower can be seen in this photo on the left side of the City Hall Building, This building remained until the present City Hall was completed in 1914. The building was removed and City Hall Plaza was created
North Oakland Bell
North Oakland Bell
Old City Hall 1906
This bell was donated to the City of Oakland by the Citizens of North Oakland. The bell was originally used to sound fires in north Oakland and sat adjacent to the Fire House. The bell was phased out in 1914 and now sits in front of Golden Gate Library in North Oakland
Dimond FD Bell
North Oakland Bell
Fruitvale FD Bell
The Dimond Fire Bell was located in the Dimond District of Oakland and was in service until the annexation to Oakland and connection to the Oakland Fire Department Fire Alarm building in 1914. The bell is now located in Dimond Park
Fruitvale FD Bell
North Oakland Bell
Fruitvale FD Bell
The Fruitvale Fire Department bell hung in the attic of the Fruitvale Fire Dept (later Oakland Station 13) at 33rd Ave. and E12th St. The Fruitvale Fire Department was Annexed to Oakland in 1910 and the Oakland bell network was decommissioned in 1914. The bell was donated to Mission San Antonio de Padua in June 1950
Fire Alarm Building 1900
Central Fire Alarm Building 1911-1983
Central Fire Alarm Building 1911-1983
Oakland's Fire dispatch was located on the third floor of Station 1. The Station was located behind and to the left of City Hall. The dispatch center was severely damaged during the 1906 Earthquake and was relocated to the new Fire Alarm building in 1911
Central Fire Alarm Building 1911-1983
Central Fire Alarm Building 1911-1983
Central Fire Alarm Building 1911-1983
Oakland's Fireproof Central station was opened in 1911 and was designed by the same architect as New Yorks Central Park Fire Alarm Building. Built on 3 separate power grids and contains its own diesel generator, it was built to stay alive while every one was in the dark. The building was active until 1983 when the new building at 1605 Martin Luther King Jr Way was opened and Computer aided dispatch was ushered in. The building still stands at 1310 Oak Street