About The Firehouse

About Maywood:

Maywood is a historic community with a deep rich history. Maywood was founded in 1869 by the Maywood Company, a group of Vermont businessmen led by Colonel William T. Nichols, who named it after his deceased daughter, May. The Village of Maywood is a Chicago city-suburb and has a rich connection to the Civil Rights Movement and World War II. Maywood is a diverse community that is deeply connected to its roots and culture.

About The Firehouse:

The Firehouse was built in 1904 as the first fire station in Maywood. The Firehouse originally had a hand-drawn hose-cart with 2 horses. Chief John Kronenbitter was the appointed chief and lived in the station with his family. The horses were kept at the fire station and cared for by Chief John. In 1919, the fire station purchased its first motorized hose truck and by 1932, the firehouse became a fully staff firehouse department for Maywood. The Firehouse was then decommissioned in the 1980’s and has remained a private residence since then.

Fun fact: every so often barley can be found on the ground in the back of the creative studio. This is where the horses were kept and it’s a beautiful reminder of all of the history the firehouse holds.