Designed as a civic beacon in the rural area east of Bozeman, the new Fort Ellis Fire/Rescue station is a testament to the community it supports. Every call is crewed by 100% volunteers, who respond to structure fires, wildland fires, and vehicle crashes. As the area has grown, so too have the needs of the district — which had long outgrown its 50-year-old facility.
Hennebery Eddy helped the district conceive and design its new facility, which opened with a ribbon-cutting during the annual community picnic in fall 2023. At 11,200 square feet, the station houses 10 fire and rescue apparatus — enough to accommodate growth for the foreseeable future — with high visibility from outside into the apparatus bay. In addition to wellness spaces for volunteers and a community room for neighborhood gatherings, the site was carefully planned to accommodate efficient vehicle circulation and surge periods, whether for emergency response, special trainings, or community events.
The fire station design was inspired by the vertical rhythm of the lodgepole forest on adjacent Mount Ellis, and its south-facing orientation optimizes views to that mountain. A simple form and natural materials blend in with the agricultural structures that dot adjacent farmlands.
To make the new station a reality, community members contributed more than $1M to the fire district’s nonprofit foundation. Recently, a recognition wall was unveiled to honor both those donors and the volunteers who step up to answer emergency calls. Hennebery Eddy designed and created the installation, which is crafted from white oak, steel, and colorful decommissioned fire hoses as a salute to their service.
