Old Firehouse and City Hall
232, 236 Walnut Street

Old Firehouse Books and Happy Lucky Teahouse fill the first floor of the old City Hall and Hose House.

Free Reading Room located at 238 Walnut Street and City Hall at 232 Walnut Street. (Image from the Archive at the Fort Collins Museum of Discovery, H00188.)
“The new city hall will be an ornament to our town and the pride of our citizens.” (Fort Collins Courier, May 11, 1882)
“The boys of the fire department have recently struck a rich vein of good sense. They have had their headquarters in the city hall converted into a gymnasium and cozy library and reading room , and are filling the shelves and reading desks with good literature , including the daily papers . Instead of being a barn like room with but little in it at all attractive , it now presents a pleasant and home like appearance and is a splendid retreat for the boys in the evening and a place where they can enjoy themselves in a rational manner . Each member has a key to the room and only members of the department have access to the room and its privileges.” (The Weekly Courier, April 25, 1901)
“A Bigger City Hall. The work of excavating a basement for a 24 1/2 by 60 foot extension of the city hall building is in progress, under the direction of James Whedbee. The new building will be erected on the vacant space between the present city hall and A. B. Tomlin’s new business block, and will be a two story brick above the basement, with a frontage on Walnut street. The first floor will contain a hall•way council chamber and city clerk’s office. The office of city attorney, city engineer and police magistrate will be located on the second floor. The old city hall building will be given over to the sole use of the fire department, which has long needed more room.” (The Weekly Courier, January 9, 1902)