Saugus Town Hall facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Saugus Town Hall
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Saugus Town Hall
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 Location in Massachusetts
Location in the United States
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| Location | 298 Central St., Saugus, Massachusetts |
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| Built | 1874–1877 |
| Architect | Lord & Fuller |
| Architectural style | Gothic |
| NRHP reference No. | 85001332 |
| Added to NRHP | June 20, 1985 |
The Saugus Town Hall is a very old and important building in Saugus, Massachusetts. It was built in 1875. This historic building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1985. This means it is recognized as a special place in American history.
Contents
Building the Saugus Town Hall
Work on the Saugus Town Hall began in 1874. This was the second town hall for Saugus. The first stone was placed on October 17, 1874. This was a big event for the town.
The day started with a parade. People marched through many streets to the building site. A minister gave a prayer. Then, members of the Grand Lodge of Massachusetts laid the cornerstone. A brass band played music. Important people gave speeches. The ceremony ended with another prayer.
The Town Hall was built on land bought from Samuel A. Parker. This land was low and wet. It cost a lot of money to fill the land. Building the town hall put Saugus into a $50,000 debt. This was a huge amount of money back then! Because of this debt, some people in East Saugus wanted to leave Saugus. They wanted to join the city of Lynn instead. But this idea did not pass in the state government. The issue stopped when the town spent $5,000 to put water pipes in East Saugus.
The building was officially opened on March 1, 1877. Many people from Saugus and nearby towns came. Important guests from Saugus and Lynn sat on the stage. These included the Saugus town leaders and the mayor of Lynn. A famous speaker named Wendell Phillips gave the main speech. After more speeches, the building's keys were given to the town leaders. The ceremony ended with a hymn and a final prayer.
What's Inside the Town Hall?
The first floor of the Town Hall had many offices. It held offices for the town leaders, clerk, and treasurer. There was also a room for the school committee. A high school classroom and the public library were also there. Over time, the high school and library moved to their own buildings. The school committee room also moved.
The second floor was a large community room. It was used for many different events. Town meetings, political talks, and high school graduations happened here. People also enjoyed plays, boxing matches, and dances. Later, this big room was divided into smaller offices. These offices were for different town departments. When the Town Hall was fixed up in 1997, the second floor became a large meeting room again.
The basement of the building had the town's police department. It also had the jail. The police station moved to its own building in 1936.
Important Moments at the Town Hall
The Saugus Town Hall has seen many important events.
- On March 14, 1892, a town official named William F. Hitchings passed away. He died during a town meeting while handing out papers.
- In 1922, a soldier named Private Winslow Hodgson was honored here. His body was brought back from France. People could come to the Town Hall to pay their respects.
- On October 31, 1927, a fire started in the basement. It caused $5,000 in damage. The fire began in the police jail area. It burned through floors and walls. But police and firefighters saved important town documents and books.
- In 1929, a special guest visited the Town Hall. Marchioness Townshend, who was the mayor of King's Lynn, England, came to Saugus. She also visited other historic places in Saugus.
- In 1932, the body of soldier John Burke was honored at the Town Hall. He had been killed in China.
- From 1947, the body of Staff Sergeant Arthur F. DeFranzo was honored here. He later received the Medal of Honor for his brave actions.
Fixing Up the Town Hall
In 1976, the building was updated. The back part was repaired. New siding was put on. In 1977, the building was painted. Broken roof tiles were replaced.
By the 1990s, the Town Hall was in bad shape. Some people suggested tearing it down. But the Saugus Historical Commission wanted to save it. They pushed to fix and restore the building. The town decided to fund the repairs. In 1998, a group called "The Friends of Town Hall" was formed. They raised money for extra projects. These projects included buying a piano for the auditorium. They also added display cases for historic items. A special mural called "The Founding of Saugus" was also added.
During the repairs, the Town Hall was closed. The town offices moved to another building. A reopening ceremony was held on November 17, 1998. Many town leaders and state officials spoke at the event. The total cost for the renovations was $3.5 million.
Images for kids
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Saugus Town Hall
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Saugus Center and Town Hall
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Saugus Town Hall front view
