Memorial Town Hall facts for kids
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Memorial Town Hall
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U.S. Historic district
Contributing property |
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Memorial Hall
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 Location in Massachusetts
Location in the United States
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| Location | Monson, Massachusetts |
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| Built | 1885 |
| Architect | Potter, George E. |
| Architectural style | Gothic |
| Part of | Monson Center Historic District (ID90000788) |
| NRHP reference No. | 84002449 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | May 17, 1984 |
| Designated CP | May 6, 1991 |
Memorial Town Hall is a very old and important building in Monson, Massachusetts. It serves as the main office for the town! This beautiful stone building was built way back in 1885. It stands on Main Street, on land that a kind local family, the Reynolds family, gave to the town.
In front of the building, you can see two cannons. One cannon is from the American Civil War, and the other is from the First World War. These cannons are there to honor the soldiers from Monson who bravely served their country.
Welcome to Memorial Town Hall
Memorial Town Hall is a great example of a style called High Victorian Gothic. This means it has a grand, detailed look, often with pointed arches and fancy stonework. The building was designed by an architect named George Potter.
A Special Design
The hall was built using granite from a local quarry. This is the same type of stone used for the Springfield Armory, a famous place where weapons were made. The building's basic shape looks like the letter "T" from above.
The front left corner has a tall, four-story tower. On the front right corner, there's a smaller, eight-sided turret. In the middle of the front, there's a section with a pointed roof, called a gabled pavilion. This section sticks out from the main building.
The back part of the "T" shape extends towards the northeast. You'll notice that the arches and other decorations are made from granite stones of different light and dark colors. This creates a cool pattern! The roof of the building is made of slate. The front part of the roof is sloped on all sides, but the middle section is interrupted by that front-facing gable. The back section of the roof ends in a simple point.
Inside the Hall
When you go inside Memorial Town Hall, the front part holds the town offices. This is where local government business happens. There's also a space that was once used by the Grand Army of the Republic, a group for Civil War veterans.
The back part of the building has a large auditorium with a stage. This is a great space for meetings, performances, and other community events. What's really neat is that most of the rooms inside still look and are used almost exactly as they were when the building was first finished!
A Place of History
Because of its unique design and history, Memorial Town Hall was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1984. This is a special list of places that are important to American history. Later, in 1991, it also became part of the Monson Center Historic District. This means it's an important building within a larger area that has many historic buildings.
