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Nearly nine years after planning began, Arlington County celebrated the opening of a new Fire Station 8 on Saturday, April 26, honoring a legacy rooted in the determination of Halls Hill’s Black community.

The station’s apparatus bay filled with descendants of the original Black volunteer firefighters, neighborhood residents, friends and local officials. Arlington County Fire Chief David Povlitz said the many smiles and embraces reflected generations of “struggle, determination and progress.”

Noah Simon, who chaired the citizens task force charged with recommending a location for the station, said the project took 3,218 days to become a reality—and that he had counted every one. The process, he said, brought forward remarkable accounts of both racism and heroism.

Libby Garvey, who chaired the Arlington County Board when efforts began to replace the aging station, recalled that officials initially expected a quick decision. A contentious early meeting in a neighborhood living room made clear that the debate involved far more than a building or its location.

A station created after service was denied

Fire Station 8 traces its beginnings to 1918, when Halls Hill’s Black residents could not obtain service from Arlington’s white fire stations. Community members responded by establishing their own volunteer department in a small garage, initially without county funding or equipment.

The Black volunteer company continued to receive fewer resources than Arlington’s white companies. Its members were also excluded when the county began moving to a career firefighting system in 1940. That changed in 1951, when Julian M. Syphax and Alfred W. Clark became Arlington County’s first paid Black firefighters.

Over the decades, the station became a neighborhood refuge and gathering place. It housed the community’s only public telephone and a soda machine. During World War II, residents lined up there with ration books to receive sugar, lifelong Halls Hill resident Wilma Jones recalled.

Jones, chair of the John M. Langston Civic Association, said protecting that history was a major reason residents fought to keep the station at its existing location. She said population data also supported the decision because Halls Hill was growing faster than the area proposed for relocation, where residents did not want the station moved.

Arlington County Board Chair Takis Karantonis placed the station’s history within the story of a community built on land that had been part of a plantation roughly 150 years earlier. Black residents established homes there but were denied public services, he said, prompting them to create their own solution.

Greg Emanuel, director of Arlington County’s Department of Environmental Services, said Station 8’s importance has always rested with its people rather than the structure itself. He described it as a safe place and a beacon of hope for the community.

Pioneers honored at the ceremony

Del. Patrick Hope presented a plaque to Hartman Reed, the last surviving member of Station 8’s first paid firefighting team, recognizing his courage and commitment. Attendees also applauded Jerome Smith, the station’s last surviving volunteer firefighter.

Mercedes Clark Baker, who identified herself as the fourth daughter of Alfred Clark, delivered the final remarks. She praised the men and women who overcame formidable barriers to establish and preserve the station. Baker then read the names of its original 14 firefighters and asked their families in attendance to stand for recognition.

A modern home for first responders

The new three-story station spans 20,000 square feet and includes three engine bays, modern training areas and improved rest spaces. A decontamination area allows firefighters to wash exposed uniforms, while an on-site pharmacy provides immediate access to medication during emergencies.

Povlitz said Station 8 responded to 2,100 emergency medical service calls in 2024. He ended his remarks with a reminder for residents to check their smoke detectors and replace batteries when they hear a chirp, drawing laughter from the crowd.

After years of political debate and physical challenges, the grand opening concluded with station tours, family activities and cake from Heidelberg Bakery across the street. Children explored fire engines outside while families celebrated a new facility built to carry Halls Hill’s firefighting heritage into the future.