A northern Michigan fire station has been dubbed the world’s oldest continuously manned fire station, and just in time for its 130th year anniversary.
The Manistee Fire Station was awarded the title of “Oldest Continuously Manned Operating Fire Station” by Guinness World Records on Monday, June 17.
This is the first time Guinness has ever given out this award, and the designation required more than two years of documentation-gathering by the Manistee Fire Station.
The station had to prove it has been staffed 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and 365 days a year as a fully manned, paid professional fire department since it opened its doors in 1889.
“This day marks an important milestone not only of our fire department, but for this fire station and the community it serves,” said Fred LaPoint, Manistee engineer paramedic, in a released statement. “Historic places like the Manistee Fire Station matter because they give us a deeper appreciation and understanding of our past in a way that written documents can’t.”