BAKERSFIELD,Calif -- This week ABC 23 brings you our salute to Central Bakersfield. ABC 23 will bring you stories that set the Central section apart from any other. Our first installment finds us reliving a 70-year history at Fire Station 1.

For seven decades fire station one has been a modern marvel, a shelter for those affected by the 1952 earthquake, and a beacon for public safety here in Bakersfield.

While Station 1 may seem ever changing it's consistency to service is why this spot can be called iconic

Nestled in the heart of downtown, Fire Station 1 grabs your attention with its unique art-deco appearance. It's come along way from it's roots. "The fire station was built in 1939, it was a public works project back then. It was a stimulus bill. Very similar to the stimulus bill we have going today. It's kind of ironic," said Bakersfield City Fire Chief Ron Fraze.

Less than 15 years after Fire Station 1 was set in stone, the building was tested by the great quake of 1952. "Many city buildings, county buildings were destroyed. This building hardly showed a crack," said Battalion Chief Gath Milam. "So it got the nickname from then on called the rock. For a number of months before they could build a new building this bay served as City Hall."

One of the most visible changes at Fire Station 1 has been the equipment firefighters dawn when responding to a fire. Back in 1939, you could probably get away with a nice button down shirt and a pair of pants. However, fast-forward 70 years and tack on nearly 70 pounds of equipment. "The equipment is not even remotely similar. Seventy years ago, it was very simple, if something broke on the truck firefighters would climb underneath and just fix it on the scene. Now everything is computerized,"added Fraze.

While the equipment has progressed and the personnel image has had a makeover, there is no possible way to crack the concrete tradition Station 1 has built. A legacy that carry's unique community ties with it daily.