Old Town Hall (Pittsfield, Massachusetts)

The Old Town Hall is a historic building on Park Square in the heart of downtown Pittsfield, Massachusetts. This 1832 building served for 135 years as the center of municipal government. Built in the Federal style to serve as the town hall, it became City Hall when Pittsfield became a city in 1891, serving in that role until 1968. It is the city's oldest municipal building.[2] The hall was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1972, and included in the Park Square Historic District in 1975.[1][3]

Old Town Hall
Location32 East Street,
Pittsfield, Massachusetts
Coordinates42°26′54″N 73°15′11″W
Built1832
Architectural styleFederal
Part ofPark Square Historic District (ID75001911)
NRHP reference No.72001299[1]
Significant dates
Added to NRHPApril 26, 1972
Designated CPJuly 24, 1975

Description and history

Pittsfield's Old Town Hall is located on the north side of the city's Park Square, between the First Congregational Church and St. Stephen's Episcopal Church. It is a two-story masonry structure, built out of load-bearing brick that has been stuccoed and painted. It has a side-gable roof with a balustrade with alternating panels and baluster groups, and there is a slightly projecting center section on its front (south-facing) facade. This projecting section, three bays wide, is topped by a fully pedimented gable. Chimneys are located at the ends of the building. Windows are 16-over-12 sash, and the main entrance is topped by an eight-light transom.[2]

City hall moved to the former post office on Allen Street in 1968

The hall was built by the town in 1832, and served as town hall until 1891, when the town was rechartered as a city. It served as city hall until 1968, when city offices moved to their present facilities in the former post office on Allen Street. In addition to housing city offices, the building has also housed post office facilities, banks, and served briefly as the county courthouse. The building received a major addition in 1896, but this was removed when the city offices were moved to the current city hall in 1968, and the building was restored to its earlier Federal appearance.[2] The building now houses professional offices.

See also

References
  1. "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. April 15, 2008.
  2. "MACRIS inventory record for Pittsfield City Hall". Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Retrieved 2015-10-24.
  3. "NRHP nomination for Park Square Historic District". Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Retrieved 2013-11-27.
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