Historic 100-year-old building in Breckenridge faces uncertain future

BRECKENRIDGE, Texas (KTAB/KRBC) – A historic 103-year-old building in Breckenridge is now at the center of the debate. This building is the current fire station home, but firefighters have raised concerns that the space has deteriorated over time.

Assistant Fire Chief Wesley Turner explains that he joined the force around 2020. Issues, from leaks to mold, were present then.

“The building’s had a lot of issues over the years with water leaks and roof leaks and stuff like that. The ceiling fell in on their bed one time. There are issues with the building that need to be addressed,” shared Turner.

The city began working on changes to the fire station about a year ago. Turner understands that living in a small town means a limited and tight budget. He was grateful that temporary housing was able to be accommodated. A manufactured home was placed in the north parking lot right next to the current fire station on Elm Street.

“That building was never designed to be a fire station; it was originally the fire, police, city offices, and the jail. It was everything. It’s not designed; it’s not laid out for how it’s being used. These guys spend a third—at least a third—of their time here; 24 hours out of every three days they’re here. The better the housing is, the healthier they are; the happier they are. They know the community supports the fire department really well anyway, but it’s just another way that they can see that they’re supported,” added Turner.

In recent weeks, various city commissioners’ meetings were held to discuss the future of the fire station, from demolishing the more than 100-year-old building to remodeling it, to demolishing and building a new fire station on the same lot. Here, members of the community, firefighters, and commissioners shared their opinions on the future of the fire station.

Many, like Breckenridge resident and business owner Kristi Williams, voiced that the current fire station is a part of city history and should be preserved. Others mentioned that the building may be too much in disrepair to save.

The commissioners and city manager added that they see both sides and decided to pause the demolition of the building and apply for grants to fund a new fire station at a location that is currently undecided. While funding can be a challenge in small towns, the fire department and the city are working together to find a solution.

Watch meeting here: Special Meeting of the Breckenridge Texas City Commission held on April 17, 2025. – YouTube

Original meeting: Regular meeting of the Breckenridge Texas City Commission Meeting held on April 1, 2025