Town Hall (Lakeville, Massachusetts) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Town Hall
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Old Town Hall
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 Location in Massachusetts
Location in the United States
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| Location | Lakeville, Massachusetts |
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| Area | less than one acre |
| Built | 1856 |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival |
| NRHP reference No. | 76000955 |
| Added to NRHP | October 22, 1976 |
The Old Town Hall in Lakeville, Massachusetts, is a special building with a long history. It's located at 2 Precinct Street. Built in 1856, it's a great example of a Greek Revival style building from the 1800s. This building used to hold all the town's offices and was also where town meetings happened. Today, it's mostly used for those important town meetings. This historic hall was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1976, which means it's recognized as a very important place in American history.
Contents
What the Old Town Hall Looks Like
Lakeville's Old Town Hall is in the main part of town, right at the corner of Precinct and Bedford Streets. It's a two-and-a-half story building made of wood, with a pointed roof and outer walls covered in overlapping wooden boards called clapboards. The corners of the building have flat, decorative columns called pilasters. These pilasters go up to a decorative band, or entablature, that runs along the sides of the building.
Front of the Building
The front of the building is very balanced and looks the same on both sides. It has two main doors. Each door is framed by pilasters and a decorative top part called a corniced entablature. The windows on the second floor are directly above these doors and have small caps sticking out above them. Between the two entrances, there's an old noticeboard on the wall.
Inside the Building
When you go inside, the first floor is one big room. Stairs lead up to the second floor. The second floor has a closed-off area that used to be where the town offices were located. One of the main changes inside is that a new, lower ceiling was put in the big meeting hall.
History of the Old Town Hall
This building was constructed in 1856. For almost 100 years, it was the most important public building in Lakeville. It wasn't just for town meetings. At different times, it also housed the local library and the offices for the town's leaders, called selectmen.
Changes Over Time
In 1952, the town government offices that weren't related to meetings moved to new buildings. But even after that, the Old Town Hall continued to be a place where the community could gather for meetings and other events. It still serves as an important meeting space for the town today.
