ROANOKE, Va. – Roanoke’s Fire Station 7 was recently demolished after nearly a century of serving Grandin Village, but people got to take a piece of its history home for free this weekend.
Roanoke Fire EMS gave away more than 1,000 bricks salvaged from the historic structure, which had stood since 1922. The fire department tore down the firehouse to make way for a new, larger fire station on the same site.
Many people sought after the free bricks to complement their own memories and experiences of the “Old No. 7.”
John Hall, who was among the first to receive a brick, had spent more than 20 years serving as a firefighter out of Fire Station 7 after returning to Roanoke from his Army service in Vietnam.
“It was my home away from home," Hall said. "The old station is an antique, and I wish that they kept it, but everything’s got to go sooner or later.”
Roanoke resident Mary Beth Crowgey picked up a brick because of how important she believed the building was to Grandin Village.
“It is a little bit sad to see that firehouse go," Crowgey said. “It was such a historic building that had a lot of charm about it. I felt like it was so woven into the fabric of the neighborhood.”
Roanoke Fire EMS saved some Fire Station 7 bricks for itself as well. One of the walls of the new fire station, which is estimated to be completed in about a year, will be consturcted with bricks from the old station.