St. Albans Town Hall facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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St. Albans Town Hall
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 Location in Vermont
Location in the United States
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| Location | 579 Lake Rd., St. Albans, Vermont |
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| Area | less than one acre |
| Built | 1898 |
| Architect | Smith, Arthur H. |
| Architectural style | Romanesque |
| MPS | Historic Government Buildings MPS |
| NRHP reference No. | 96000257 |
| Added to NRHP | March 14, 1996 |
The St. Albans Town Hall is an important building in St. Albans, Vermont. It's where the local government works. You can find it at 579 Lake Road in the village of St. Albans Bay.
This building was finished in 1898. It has a special style called Richardsonian Romanesque. This style uses strong, simple shapes and arches. The Town Hall was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1996. This means it's a very important historical place!
Contents
What Does the Town Hall Look Like?
The St. Albans Town Hall is on the west side of Lake Road. It's made of brick and sits on a strong limestone base. The building has two floors and a sloped roof.
Building Shape and Features
The Town Hall looks a bit like the letter "T" from above. The front part is wide, and a section sticks out from the back.
On the front, you'll see a double door set back in a round arch. There are also five window sections across the front. On the second floor, there's a group of three windows. Above them, a half-round window rises into the roof. The roof has wide edges, and you can see the ends of the wooden beams.
Inside, many parts of the building still look like they did when it was first built. Even though some changes were made later, it keeps its original charm.
A Look Back: History of St. Albans Town Hall
The area of St. Albans was first settled in 1778. The St. Albans Bay area was once the main center for business. It was a busy port on Lake Champlain.
From Village to City
Later, St. Albans Village, about 3 miles (4.8 km) to the east, became more important. This happened because the railroad came through the Village. It became the main civic center and the home of the Franklin County government.
In 1896, St. Albans Village officially became the city of St. Albans. This meant the original town of St. Albans no longer had its own government buildings. It also needed more school buildings.
Building a New Future
To solve these problems, the town hired a Vermont architect named Arthur H. Smith. He designed the current Town Hall. It was finished in 1898.
When it first opened, the building had a few different uses:
- It held the town offices.
- It had an elementary school for children.
- There was an auditorium on the second floor.
The building was used as a school until 1961. After a new school opened, the old school space was changed. It became more office space for the town government.
