The Philadelphia Fire Department was established in 1871 to professionalize firefighting and improve the fire service for the city. The building at 1016 South Street was first used as a firehouse by a volunteer brigade in 1871. In 1902, Engine Company 11, one of the original 22 engine companies of the Philadelphia Fire Department, moved into this location. Engine Company 11 was Philadelphia’s de facto African American firehouse, hiring Isaac Jacobs as its first African American firefighter in 1886. In 1919, the Philadelphia Fire Department established an official policy of racial segregation, leading to Engine Company 11 becoming the first and only all-black company. Despite their treatment as second-class citizens and firefighters, the members of Engine Company 11 provided first-class service, risking their lives for all citizens, and for the fellow white firefighters who would not work alongside them. Engine Company 11 was relocated in 1976 to a new firehouse at 601 South Street, where it is still active today.