Ten years ago, Chuck Wood and Vera Uyehara bought an old firehouse on Main Street in North Wheeling for just $30,000. A decade later, the building has been preserved, renovated, and refurbished, and, as of this past weekend, has officially opened as Wheeling’s newest bookstore and coffee shop.
History of the Vigilant Engine House
In 1843, Wheeling’s “First Ward Hose Company” consisted of 102 members who kept their equipment in a shed in North Wheeling. By 1845, Wheeling city council had approved $1250 to be used to purchase fire-fighting equipment, including a Hose Reel. Three years later, in 1849, city council designated land at 650 Main Street, the location of the shed where the company had already been storing their equipment, and began construction of a brick firehouse: the original Vigilant Engine House. In 1853, the First Ward Hose Company put its first automobile fire engine into service. Finally, when the council established and regulated a paid fire department for the City of Wheeling in 1869, the company was titled the “Vigilant Steam Fire Co. No. 3” and was included as part of the original four Wheeling Fire Department companies1.
The current structure is the second firehouse to be constructed on the site, built to replace the original building which burned in June 1891. The present structure has a brick facade with terracotta inlay, and was originally capped by a bell tower pediment inscribed with the “1891” construction date, though the pediment is now gone2. C. P. Hamilton designed the new fire station as “a two-story pressed brick structure with a mansard roof, and is modeled after the ideal engine house, No. 14 in Pittsburgh. [It will] cost $7,500.”3 William A. Wilson, a wealthy and prominent figure in the community at the time, who was apparently concerned for the safety of his own mansion a mere block away, generously helped to finance the construction of the new firehouse with a donation of $60004.
The building hasn’t been a firehouse since the mid 1970’s, when the Wheeling Fire Department moved into a new fire station further down Main Street. After the fire department left, the building housed the Oglebay Wood Carvers Guild for a while before being outfitted with a commercial kitchen for The Firehouse Bar & Grill, then Paesano’s Restaurant, before closing it’s doors permanently in 20055.
Since then, this historic Wheeling gem has been sitting empty, waiting for the next chapter in its story.
Vigilant Firehouse sometime after 1933, via Historic American Buildings Survey (Library of Congress)
A New Chapter
This past weekend, Vigilant Books and Coffee officially opened its doors to the public. A slate of programming including musicians, art workshops, storytimes for children, crafts, and live painting kept the business full of new customers, eager to see the result of a decade of restoration.
And they were not disappointed. Dozens of towering shelves housing thousands of books line the walls of the shop and create cozy nooks with small tables, perfect for spending time reading or working in. Ornate chandeliers hanging above, original exposed brick walls peeking through, and area rugs cushioning the brightly colored floors all add to the cozy atmosphere. A sturdy wooden bar with comfortable seating sits along the front wall of the bookshop, where the fire engine garage doors once stood, now a giant wall of windows. The cafe counter is bustling with customers ordering coffee and croissants or paying for their books. Three small rooms in the back contain special collections for children’s books, history, and art, allowing patrons to find hidden corners for quiet reading or crafting. Wheeling memorabilia, bookish trinkets, notebooks, candles, and other small gifts are dotted around, and create a sense that you’ve walked into a treasure trove. In the front, a mini exhibit features photos and mementos from the building’s fire company members paying homage to its long history as a firehouse.
Vigilant Books & Coffee - Front Seating Area
Chuck and Vera have managed to create an entire world tucked away within the historic property, and Wheeling is dazzled by it.
Funding for Historic Revitalization
The business received some major grants in support of their project, including one from the West Virginia Historic Preservation Office6, a City of Wheeling Facade Improvement Grant, and through the Wheeling Historic Revitalization Subgrant Program.
The latter grant, funded through the Paul Bruhn Historic Revitalization Grant from the National Park Service and disbursed through Wheeling Heritage, helped fund interior work and push the project that much closer to completion. The grant program seeks to fund downtown commercial redevelopment, and catalytic urban neighborhood redevelopment projects5. Watch Wheeling Heritage Media’s video about the project and the grant at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mOlKcpFFI1k
You can visit Vigilant Books & Coffee between Sunday and Wednesday from 11 AM to 7 PM, and between Thursday and Saturday from 11 AM to 9 PM. You can visit their website or follow them on Facebook and Instagram to keep up with fun programming, updates, and special events.
