Later Uses After 1901
Once the fire department vacated 364 E Main, the building was quickly repurposed for private commercial use. Within a few years it had been renovated with storefront display windows in place of the big fire wagon door (the first-floor facade was significantly altered for retail) . By 1904 it was occupied by a general store, and over subsequent decades it hosted various local businesses . For clarity, some notable uses of the building after it ceased being a firehouse include:
• 1904: A retail store (the first recorded commercial tenant after the fire station closed)
• 1912: A meat market (butcher shop) was operating in the ground-floor space .
• 1915: Dungey & Horn Grocery – a local grocer – is listed at this address in a city directory .
• 1926: Another general dry goods store (the Sanborn maps of that year still label the space as a store) .
• Mid-1900s: The building later housed service businesses; for example, by the late 20th century it was the home of K.C. Insulation & Siding, Inc., an exterior remodeling firm .
• Present: In the 2000s the historic firehouse was converted into a tavern. It was operated as Fahrenheit 364, a martini bar whose name nods to the building’s fiery past (364 being the address) . The bar retains some interior historic features, such as the original pressed-tin ceiling from the 1880s , blending vintage charm with modern use.
As of May 30th, 2025, 364 E Main St is now owned and operated by Brook Johnson, who has made sure to keep the history of this location at the front. Now called Old Firehouse Lounge, our goal is to show off the historical era of the building but also bringing jazz, blues, and cabaret to the streets of Downtown Stoughton.
Through all these changes, the building’s exterior character remained recognizable. Its brick façade, decorative cornice, and arched second-story windows survived, even as ground-floor storefronts and tenants came and went. The old firehouse became a familiar historic fixture on Main Street, adapting to Stoughton’s evolving downtown while keeping its 19th-century architectural charm.
History
History of 364 E Main St, Stoughton’s Original Firehouse
From its completion in 1884 until 1901, the Main Street structure served as Stoughton’s primary fire station and city hall . During this period, the Stoughton Fire Department operated out of the building, responding to emergencies in the growing community. One significant incident underscoring its role was a downtown blaze in September 1889 that destroyed half a block of businesses. Despite “noble work by the Fire Department,” the conflagration spread rapidly until a timely heavy rain helped save the rest of the business district . Events like this highlighted the importance of the firehouse to Stoughton’s safety. By the end of the 1890s, however, the city’s needs had outgrown the small 1884 building. Plans were made for a larger, modern civic building to better accommodate city offices and an expanded fire department.
In 1901, Stoughton opened a grand new City Hall (with an integrated fire hall) just up the street, which replaced the 1884 structure as the city’s governmental center and engine house . The old brick firehouse was thus retired from active firefighting service after roughly 17 years of use. This marked the end of its era as a civic building and the beginning of a new chapter in its history.
Historical Designations and Restoration Efforts
Today, the 1884 firehouse building is recognized as a piece of Stoughton’s heritage. It is a contributing property in the Stoughton Main Street Commercial Historic District, which was added to the National Register of Historic Places in the early 1990s . This designation helps protect its exterior and ensures that renovations are in keeping with its historical character. In recent years, the property has indeed seen restoration and maintenance efforts. Owners have invested in preserving the building’s integrity – for instance, a new roof was installed in 2020 and the front windows and wood trim were refurbished in 2022–23 to match the original look . Inside, original elements like the tin ceiling have been retained as a nod to the building’s past .
Thanks to these preservation efforts, the old firehouse at 364 E Main Street still stands proudly over a century after its construction. What began as Stoughton’s first modern fire station and city hall has survived the turn of two centuries, transitioning from horse-drawn fire wagons to martini glasses. The building’s story – from 1884 civic cornerstone to 21st-century gathering place – illustrates the community’s commitment to honoring local history while giving historic structures new life.