Sandwich City Hall facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
|
|
Sandwich City Hall & Opera House
|
|
 |
|
 Location in Illinois
Location in the United States
|
|
| Location | 144 E. Railroad St., Sandwich, Illinois |
|---|---|
| Area | less than one acre |
| Built | 1878 |
| Architect | Enos Doan & Israel Doan |
| Architectural style | Second Empire |
| NRHP reference No. | 79003159 |
| Added to NRHP | December 6, 1979 |
The Sandwich City Hall, also known as the Sandwich City Hall & Opera House, is an important building in Sandwich, Illinois. It serves as the main government center for the city. The first floor is used by city officials, like the mayor. The second floor holds a historic and active opera house. This special building is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, which means it's recognized as a very important historical site. It has been on this list since 1979.
History of Sandwich City Hall
Building the City Hall
Sandwich City Hall was built in 1878. Its design shows the Second Empire style. This style was popular after the American Civil War. It mixed different older building styles together. The city raised $10,000 to build it by selling special papers called bonds. These bonds allowed people to lend money to the city. Later, an extra $2,000 was needed, so more bonds were sold.
Local architects Enos and Israel Doan designed the building. It was finished on time in January 1879. The building was 48 feet wide and 80 feet long. The first floor had 12-foot-high ceilings. The second floor, where the opera house is, had a balcony and very tall 22-foot ceilings.
A Busy Community Hub
Once finished, the building became a central place for the community. The first floor had offices for the mayor and the city clerk. It also had a room for city council meetings and a visiting judge's office. There was even a marshal's office with five jail cells.
The upper floor became the opera house. It was a place for all kinds of shows and events. People watched vaudevillian acts and Shakespearean plays. There were also lectures, meetings, recitals, and high school graduations. Church groups and firemen's balls also used the space. After World War II, other places opened up, and the Opera House was not used as much. However, city government offices kept working on the first floor.
A New Beginning
In 1979, a group of people helped get Sandwich City Hall listed on the National Register of Historic Places. A few years later, in 1982, this group, called the Association to Restore City Hall, became a `tax-exempt` organization. This meant they didn't have to pay certain taxes, which helped them raise money.
In 1983, they received a large `grant` of almost $1.3 million from the Illinois Department of Commerce and Community Affairs. A grant is money given for a special purpose. This money covered 75% of the costs to fix up and add to the building. The restoration was finished in 1986.
The restoration created new offices for city officials. These included the mayor, City Clerk, and City Engineer. It also made a public area where people could pay bills. An addition was built at the back of the building. This new part included a community room on the first floor. On the second floor, it added make-up rooms and storage for the opera house.
Other parts of the building were also fixed up. These included the main entrances, the original walnut staircase, and a new stairway for the east side. The police department and jail area were no longer used after 1977. But the restoration kept some of the old jail features. For example, a women's restroom now has the old iron bars from the jail cells, but they are fastened open.
When the restoration was done in 1986, the city held a special ceremony. Important state leaders, like then Lieutenant Governor George H. Ryan, attended. Many local officials were there too.
Today, the Opera House is fully active again. While city government still works on the first floor, the opera house has many performances. It hosts classical music, country-western bands, student recitals, bluegrass shows, dance, and drama by the Indian Valley Theatre. There are also pop performances and many other events. The building can also be rented for special occasions. In the first year after the 1986 restoration, over 18,725 people came to shows and programs at the opera house.
