Dover Town Hall facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Dover Town Hall
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 Location in Vermont
Location in the United States
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| Location | Holland and Taft Brook Rds., Dover, Vermont |
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| Area | 1 acre (0.40 ha) |
| Built | 1828 |
| Architectural style | Gothic Revival |
| NRHP reference No. | 88001466 |
| Added to NRHP | September 1, 1988 |
The Dover Town Hall is a historic building in Dover, Vermont. You can find it in the middle of the village, where Holland and Taft Brook Roads meet. This special building was built in 1828. It started as a church and later became the town hall in 1875. Because of its history and unique style, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1988.
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What Makes Dover Town Hall Special?
The Dover Town Hall sits near the town's common area. It is also close to the public library. This building has one main floor. It is made of wood and has a roof that slopes down on two sides. The outside walls are covered with wooden boards called clapboard. Its foundation is made of stone.
Unique Tower and Windows
A tall tower sticks out a little from the front of the building. This tower has three parts. The top part has openings with slats, like a belfry for bells. The very top looks like a castle, with small pointed decorations. The windows are rectangular. Above them, you can see decorative arches. These arches are also found on the belfry openings.
Main Entrance and Design
The main door is at the bottom of the tower. It has decorative columns on each side. Above the door is a simple, flat design. At the back of the building, there is a small kitchen area.
A Building with a Rich History
The Dover Town Hall was built in 1828. It was first used as a shared church building. Different groups, like Baptists, Methodists, and Universalists, met there. This building is special because it shows an early example of the Gothic Revival style. This style uses pointed arches and castle-like features.
Early Gothic Style Details
It's rare to see such early Gothic details. Usually, these features were added to older buildings later. But for this town hall, it seems they were part of the original plan. The second part of the tower might have been changed later in the 1800s.
From Church to Town Hall
The Baptists and Methodists used the building until the 1850s. Then, another group called the Congregationalists used it from 1872 to 1883. In 1872, the town decided to hold its official town meetings here. This means it became the place where local government decisions were made.
Saving a Historic Landmark
The building was used for town meetings until 1971. In 1907, some people wanted to tear down the old building. But instead, it was fixed up and officially taken over by the town. Today, the town hall is not used for everyday town business. The town clerk's office is now in a more modern building nearby.
