Old Southeast Town Hall facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Old Southeast Town Hall
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Front (north) elevation, 2008
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| Location | Brewster, NY |
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| Nearest city | Danbury, CT |
| Built | 1896 |
| Architect | Child & DeGroll |
| Architectural style | Colonial Revival |
| NRHP reference No. | 79001619 |
| Added to NRHP | July 24, 1979 |
The Old Southeast Town Hall is a historic building in Brewster, New York. It was built in 1896. For many years, it was the main office for the Town of Southeast. This town includes the village of Brewster.
In 1964, some town offices moved to a new location. Today, the building still holds a few town offices. It is also home to the Southeast Museum. In 1979, the Old Southeast Town Hall was added to the National Register of Historic Places. This means it is a special building recognized for its history and design. It shows an early but well-developed example of Colonial Revival architecture.
Contents
Exploring the Old Town Hall Building
The former town hall is a large, rectangular building. It has three stories and is made of brick. The brick is now covered with a light-colored stucco. The front of the building is very grand. It has a special main entrance. This entrance has a two-story porch area. It is framed by flat columns called pilasters that reach the roof.
The main doors are made of wood and have a fancy design. They are surrounded by columns and a decorative top section. Above the doors is a large, rounded window called a fanlight. On each side of the porch, there are windows. These windows also have decorative trim.
Roof and Other Features
The roof of the building is sloped on all sides, like a pyramid. It has three small windows on the front. These windows stick out from the roof. Their pointed tops show a style called Moorish Revival. Four chimneys rise from the top of the roof.
The windows on the other sides of the building are placed in different spots. On the east side, there is an old wrought iron fire escape. You can find another entrance to the basement on the south side. On the west side, a small jail section was added. It was built shortly after the main town hall.
Inside the Building
Inside, the ground floor has shiny maple wood floors. The walls and ceiling are made of sheet-iron. Two rows of cast iron columns support the ceiling. A large metal vault is located under the main stairs.
These stairs lead up to a big room called an auditorium. This room takes up two stories. It has an exposed wooden ceiling with large beams. The three small windows on the roof let light into the balcony area.
History of the Old Town Hall
Brewster and the surrounding area grew a lot after the American Civil War. This was because the New York and Harlem Railroad was built. The railroad arrived in Brewster in 1849. Because of this growth, a town hall was built on this spot in 1869.
Fires and New Beginnings
Sadly, that first town hall burned down on February 23, 1880. A fire swept through the entire south side of Main Street. A new building was put up in 1882. But it also burned down in 1893.
After two fires, the town wanted a safer building. The current town hall was designed to be very fireproof. It was built by the firm Child & DeGroll from New York City. They used materials like iron and brick that don't burn easily. The building opened in 1896. Four years later, in 1900, the small jail section was added. This has been the only major change to the building.
New Uses for the Building
The town government stayed in the building until 1964. They needed more space as the town grew. The town clerk and town supervisor's offices moved to a different building. This was the former First National Bank of Brewster building.
The Southeast Museum had just started a year earlier. It moved into the empty space in the Old Town Hall. The Southeast Museum has taken care of the building for many years.
In 1977, the building was renovated to look like it did when it was first built. The village of Brewster and the Southeast Museum worked together on this project. An architect used the original drawings to guide the restoration. The stage in the auditorium was made larger. The basement was also updated to hold some town offices and community groups.
In the mid-2000s, the town built a brand new town hall. This meant the old building was no longer the main center for town government.
