Old Town Hall (Pittsfield, Massachusetts) facts for kids
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Old Town Hall
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U.S. Historic district
Contributing property |
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 Location in Massachusetts
Location in the United States
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| Location | 32 East Street, Pittsfield, Massachusetts |
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| Built | 1832 |
| Architectural style | Federal |
| Part of | Park Square Historic District (ID75001911) |
| NRHP reference No. | 72001299 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | April 26, 1972 |
| Designated CP | July 24, 1975 |
The Old Town Hall is a very old and important building in Pittsfield, Massachusetts. It stands proudly on Park Square in the middle of downtown. This building was built in 1832. For 135 years, it was the main place where the town's government worked.
The building was designed in the Federal style. It started as the town hall. Later, in 1891, Pittsfield became a city. The building then became the City Hall. It served in this role until 1968. It is the oldest government building in the city. The Old Town Hall was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1972. It also became part of the Park Square Historic District in 1975.
What Does the Old Town Hall Look Like?
The Old Town Hall is on the north side of Park Square in Pittsfield. It is located between two churches. These are the First Congregational Church and St. Stephen's Episcopal Church.
The building has two stories. It is made of strong brick. The brick is covered with stucco and painted. The roof slopes down on the sides. It has a fancy railing on top. The front of the building faces south. It has a part that sticks out a little. This part is three windows wide. It has a triangular roof section above it. There are chimneys at each end of the building. The windows have many small panes of glass. The main door has a window above it with eight small panes.
A Look Back: The History of the Old Town Hall
The town built this hall in 1832. It was used as the town hall until 1891. That's when Pittsfield officially became a city. After that, it served as the city hall until 1968. In 1968, the city offices moved to a new location. They moved to the old post office building on Allen Street.
Besides being a government building, the Old Town Hall had other uses. It once housed post office services. Banks also had offices there. For a short time, it even served as the county courthouse. In 1896, a large part was added to the building. But this addition was removed in 1968. That was when the city offices moved out. The building was then made to look like its original Federal style. Today, the Old Town Hall is used for business offices.
