Plainfield Town Hall facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Plainfield Town Hall
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Plainfield Town Hall
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 Location in New Hampshire
Location in the United States
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| Location | NH 12A, Plainfield, New Hampshire |
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| Area | 0.4 acres (0.16 ha) |
| Built | 1846 |
| Architect | Parrish, Maxfield; Et al. |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival |
| NRHP reference No. | 85001200 |
| Added to NRHP | June 6, 1985 |
Plainfield Town Hall is a very old and important building in Plainfield, New Hampshire. It's one of two town halls in the area. This town hall stands on New Hampshire Route 12A.
Built in 1846, it shows off a classic style called Greek Revival architecture. What makes it extra cool is the amazing artwork on its stage backdrop. This artwork was created by the famous artist Maxfield Parrish. The building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1985. This means it's recognized as a special historic place.
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Plainfield Town Hall: A Historic Building
Plainfield Town Hall is located right in the middle of Plainfield village. You can find it on the east side of NH 12A. It's a single-story building made of wood. It has a pointed roof and wooden siding.
The front of the building has three sections. There's a main door in the middle. Tall windows are on either side of the door. These windows look like they open, but they are actually fixed. The window on the left also has smaller windows next to it.
The Building's Story: How It Grew
The town hall was built in three main steps. The first part was finished in 1846. This was the main section, a simple rectangular building made of wood. It was built in the Greek Revival style.
In 1916, a new part was added to the back of the building. This made the building about one-third bigger. This new section included a stage and other things needed for plays or performances.
Maxfield Parrish's Special Art
The stage area is very special because of its backdrop and side pieces. These were decorated by the artist Maxfield Parrish. He lived in Plainfield and was part of the nearby Cornish Art Colony. His work on this stage is one of only three known examples of its kind.
Later, a small shed was added to the very back of the building.
Town Life and Modern Connections
Plainfield's local government has always been split between Plainfield Village and Meriden. Meriden has its own old town hall from the 1800s.
The music band Okkervil River even used the stage here. They filmed their lyric video for the song "It Was My Season" on this very stage.
