Somerville City Hall facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Somerville High School
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 Location in Massachusetts
Location in the United States
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| Location | 93 Highland St., Somerville, Massachusetts |
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| Area | less than one acre |
| Built | 1851-52; 1896-97; 1923-24 |
| Built by | J. S. & I. W. Tuttle (1851-52); Alfred H. Hines (1896-97); Unknown (1923-24) |
| Architect | Melvin & Young (1851-52); Thomas M. Sargent (1896-97); Ritchie, Parsons & Taylor (1923-24) |
| Architectural style | Colonial Revival, Other, Georgian Revival |
| MPS | Somerville MPS |
| NRHP reference No. | 89001261 |
| Added to NRHP | September 18, 1989 |
The Somerville City Hall is a very old and important building in Somerville, Massachusetts. It's located at 93 Highland Avenue. This building has had many jobs! It started as the city's first high school. Later, it became the first public library. For a long time, and still today, it has been the only city hall. This means it's where the city's government works. The building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1989. This list includes places that are important to American history.
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What Does Somerville City Hall Look Like?
Somerville City Hall is on a special hill called Central Hill. This area has many important city buildings. You can find the current Somerville High School and the Central Library nearby.
The building looks like a classic American house. It has 2 and a half stories and is made of brick. It has a pointed roof. In the middle of the front, there's a part that sticks out. On top of the building, there's a tall tower. This tower has a bell and a clock. It also has a small dome on top. This style is called "Colonial Revival." It means it looks like old buildings from America's colonial past.
A Building with Many Lives: Its History
The story of Somerville City Hall began in 1851. People decided to build a new school. Architects named Melvin & Young designed it. Builders James S. Tuttle and Isaiah W. Tuttle constructed the building.
From School to City Hall
When the building finished in 1852, it was a busy place. The second floor was home to the Free High School. On the first floor, there was a big meeting room. This room was called Town Hall.
Somerville grew very fast. Soon, the high school needed more space. In 1866, people voted for the school to use the whole building. Around the same time, another school, the Forster School, burned down. A new Forster School was built. It included a large hall on its third floor. This new hall replaced the old Town Hall.
The high school moved into the entire old building in 1867. But even this wasn't enough space for long! A brand new Somerville High School was built in 1871. It opened in 1872.
In 1871, Somerville officially became a city. This change happened on January 1, 1872. Once the new high school opened, the old building got a new job. It became the Somerville City Hall.
Growing with the City
As Somerville kept growing, the City Hall needed more changes. The police department moved to its own building in 1875. The public library also moved to its own building in 1885. This freed up more space in City Hall.
In the 1890s, some mayors wanted a brand new City Hall. But Mayor Albion A. Perry thought it was better to add to the old building. So, in 1896, a large addition was built at the back. Thomas M. Sargent, an architect from Boston, designed this work.
More changes happened in 1902. A front porch and a terrace were added. The building was made even bigger in 1923-1924. A new section was built on the north side. The main entrance was moved. Two large columns were added to the front. Another entrance was added on the west side.
The 1896 section also got a full third floor. A new clock tower was added on top. The inside of the building was also updated. A new room for the City Council was created. A grand staircase and main lobby were built. Many of the original Greek Revival features were changed during this time. The architects for these big changes were Ritchie, Parsons & Taylor.
Today, after the recent Somerville High School project, there are plans to make more updates to this historic City Hall building.
See also
Images for kids
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Somerville City Hall in 1892, before later changes.
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Somerville City Hall in 1912, after changes in 1896 and 1902.
