A New Era for Collegetown: All-Electric Fire Station Honors a Storied Past

The newly opened East Hill Fire Station in Collegetown marks a major leap forward in Ithaca’s commitment to sustainability and public safety. Officially dedicated on June 25, 2025, the sleek, all-electric facility on Elmwood Avenue replaces the aging station at 309 College Avenue, which served the community since 1968. Designed with firefighter health and training in mind, the new station includes features like indoor truck bays, modern decontamination zones, dedicated training spaces, and fully electric infrastructure with a diesel backup. The building’s energy-efficient design reflects Ithaca’s bold climate goals while preserving a vital community service for the next century.

Yet this transformation is more than a building upgrade—it’s a continuation of a proud legacy dating back over 100 years. Fire protection on East Hill began in 1905, but its roots go even deeper to 1895, when 47 Cornell students and faculty founded the Neriton Fire Company No. 9. Their name, drawn from Neriton Hill in Homer’s Odyssey, was a poetic nod to Ithaca’s mythological namesake. Responding to the fire risk posed by wooden boarding houses and a limited water supply, these early volunteers built a wooden firehouse and later added a brick/stucco front in 1908. Horses named Bill and Mary hauled their equipment up the hill—reluctantly—until the company transitioned to motorized vehicles, including a 1916 American LaFrance pumper.

The broader Ithaca Fire Department began even earlier, with the village authorizing its first hand-pumper in 1823, spurred by devastating blazes in the early 19th century. From bucket brigades to horse-drawn carts to today’s cutting-edge electric fleet, Ithaca’s fire service has continually adapted to meet the moment. The city now operates four stations with both career and volunteer staff, and East Hill’s new station is both the most modern and most environmentally conscious yet.

In a tribute to tradition, the new firehouse features a sculpture of a bear—a nod to the original Neriton Company mascot—watching over the neighborhood from its perch. The ceremonial hose uncoupling that marked the opening was a symbolic handoff from past to future. This new chapter for East Hill blends innovation with heritage, reminding us that in Ithaca, progress and preservation often walk hand in hand.