While visiting the Cardinal neighborhood last weekend, we noticed Fire Station # 17, located at the corner of Old Oak Ridge Road and Murfield Drive. We thought for sure it would be called Cardinal Station. However, upon closer inspection, we noticed that it is the Guilford College Station. We learned quickly, Greensboro does not name fire stations for neighborhoods. They have numbers.* (Although we did have the old central station). As we commenced researching this post, an interesting story followed.
From 1946- 2001, Greensboro Fire Department and Guilford College Fire Department were two separate entities** and Guilford College was one of North Carolina's first rural fire departments. Previously, the above station was part of the Guilford College Fire Department and it was located elsewhere. In 2000, this station was relocated, for the FOURTH time to its current facility at 6405 Old Oak Ridge Road. This last move was made necessary with the construction of the Fed Ex facility. In 2001, it merged with Greensboro Fire Department. If you are interested, the facility has several plaques on the front of the station documenting names and dates. How wonderful that Station #17 has archived its history, in bronze no less.
If this firehouse forum is correct, the Greensboro Fire Department was the first to earn a class 1 rating in the US. Not many, paid or volunteer, have this designation. They say, for those who are person enough, it is a GREAT place to work!
* see number 5 here.
** more local fire department history here and here and State fire department history here.
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