Organized firefighting has long been a part of New York City’s history. Groups of volunteer firefighters were first formed by Dutch colonists in the 1640s and the more formal volunteer Fire Department of the City of New York was established in 1737. It wasn’t until the 19th century that volunteers began to be replaced by professional firefighters. In 1865, the New York’s state legislature established the Metropolitan Fire Department to serve the residents of Brooklyn and Manhattan. In 1870, when the new city charter relinquished control of the city from the state, the name was reverted to the Fire Department of the City of New York (FDNY).

When the city expanded to include all five boroughs in 1898, the various departments were unified into a single citywide firefighting organization. Some volunteer firefighters still remained in sparsely populated areas, but were disbanded or absorbed by the FDNY in the early 20th century as new paid companies were installed. Professionalization of firefighting also led to standardization of fire stations and equipment. An increasing number of stations were built throughout the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Between 1880 and 1895, Napoleon LeBrun & Son was the official architectural firm of the FDNY. After 1895, the FDNY employed in-house architects, including FDNY superintendent of buildings Alexander Stevens, and outside architects, including Walter E. Parfitt, Herts & Tallant, Hoppin & Koen, Satterlee & Boyd and Dennison, and Hirons & Darbyshire. At the turn of the century, new stations were built with neo-classical details, following the principles of the City Beautiful movement.

The expansion and professionalization of the FDNY are exemplified in the large number of projects reviewed by the Art Commission in the early 20th century, including fire alarm boxes and over 60 fire stations in all five boroughs.