Carlton Fire Department

Built: 1943 (or late 1940s?)

The exact origins of the Carlton Fire Department are difficult to discern, as its early records were burned in the 1942 fire that destroyed the combination City Hall-Fire Department. Organized about 1905, the Carlton Fire Department was instrumental in getting the new City Hall built in 1912. They raised funds, and provided labor for its construction.

For many years the CVFD received little financial assistance from the city. Firemen raised money by staging plays and dances. After the disastrous fires of 1921, the department bought their first motorized fire truck. The department was housed in the City Hall building from 1912 until the 1942 fire. By the late 1940s, a new brick structure was built. The department continued to grow, adding equipment and serving the nearby rural areas.

This structure served the community into the early 21st century. Having outlived its usefulness as a public safety building, a new Carlton Fire Hall was opened in 2010. The old station was sold and converted into a wine tasting venue, now known as the Lonesome Rock Ranch Firehouse.