Nerstrand City Hall facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Nerstrand City Hall
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Nerstrand City Hall from the north
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 Location in Minnesota
Location in the United States
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| Location | 221 Main Street, Nerstrand, Minnesota |
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| Area | Less than one acre |
| Built | 1908 |
| Architect | Thori, Alban, & Fisher |
| MPS | Rice County MRA |
| NRHP reference No. | 82003024 |
| Added to NRHP | April 06, 1982 |
Nerstrand City Hall is a historic building in Nerstrand, Minnesota. It was built in 1908 to serve as the town's main government building. This city hall was added to the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) on April 6, 1982. It is important because it shows how Nerstrand grew in its early years. It is also one of the best examples of a city building from the early 1900s in Rice County, Minnesota.
What Does Nerstrand City Hall Look Like?
Nerstrand City Hall is a two-story building made of red bricks. You can find it on the south side of Main Street in the small town of Nerstrand. It stands out as the most interesting building to look at in the community.
The building was designed by a company from St. Paul called Thori, Alban, & Fisher. It was finished in 1908. The front of the building is balanced, meaning both sides look the same. It has a wooden cornice (a decorative molding along the top of a wall) with special blocks called modillion blocks. In the middle, there's a bell tower.
The main part of the building has a double doorway. This door is framed by brick pilaster strips (flat, decorative columns). Above the door, there's a wooden cornice with small tooth-like decorations. Big two-part windows with stone sills and tops are next to the main door. A large stone above the door says "CITY HALL". This stone separates the door from three rectangular windows on the second floor. Small oval windows are on either side of these. The bell tower is open and holds a bell. It also has a decorated cornice and a dome-shaped roof with a flagpole on top. Round decorations called finials are on the corners of the building, next to the bell tower.
A Look Back: The Hall's History
The town of Nerstrand began in the 1870s. But it wasn't officially planned out until 1885. That's when the Chicago Great Western Railway reached the area. Nerstrand became an official town in 1897. The area around Nerstrand was home to many families from Norway.
The early 1900s were a time of growth for Rice County. Many towns built new city halls and water systems. Nerstrand's first city hall, built when the town became official, quickly became too small. So, in 1907, the town bought land for a new, bigger building. The new city hall was finished the next year.
The first floor of Nerstrand City Hall originally held the town's offices. It also had space for fire equipment and a small jail (a place to hold people). The second floor was a large room for community gatherings. In the 1980s, a new fire station was built right next to the old city hall. When the building was added to the historic places list, it was being used as the town's public library.
This building is important for a few reasons. It shows how Nerstrand grew and developed in its early years. It is also one of the best examples of the important public buildings that were built in Rice County in the early 1900s. The city hall reflects a time when people cared a lot about their community and when the town was doing well.
