The Apex Town Hall, called Apex City Hall in the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic v ...

is a historic

town hall In local government, a city hall, town hall, civic centre (in the UK or Australia), guildhall, or a municipal building (in the Philippines), is the chief administrative building of a city, town, or other municipality. It usually houses ...

at 237 N Salem Street in the

historic district A historic district or heritage district is a section of a city which contains older buildings considered valuable for historical or architectural reasons. In some countries or jurisdictions, historic districts receive legal protection from c ...

of downtown Apex,

North Carolina North Carolina () is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States. The state is the 28th largest and 9th-most populous of the United States. It is bordered by Virginia to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, Georgia and So ...

. It was built in 1912 after the June 12, 1911, fire destroyed several downtown buildings including the previous home of the town hall, Poe Brother's Store. The ground floor housed a farmer's market with fresh meat preserved by ice boxes, vegetables, chickens on the sidewalk out front, and two jail cells, segregated by race. Upstairs had an auditorium, opera stage, dressing rooms and the mayor's office. The building was heated by wood stoves and lighted by oil lamps. The auditorium hosted silent movies, Chautauquas, dramas, and other community cultural events. The Apex Volunteer Fire Department was formed in 1927 and took its first residence the town hall, parking a fire engine in the left bay of the building, which parked there through 1957. The Fire Department built a separate building across the street in 1958. Apex had a public works building attached to the back for a time, but it was removed to make parking spaces. The DMV had an office in the building for a time. The Town Hall function moved from the building in 1978 to 205 Saunders St. The building was condemned. The town refurbished it and it served as home to the Apex Parks and Recreation department through 2007.

Halle Cultural Arts Center

The Halle Cultural Arts Center has occupied the building since dedication January 10, 2008. It offers an art gallery downstairs and a performance hall upstairs, with the original flooring from the original auditorium. Additions to the building include a glass-enclosed grand staircase and elevator on the south side and an extension on the back. The renovations were recognized by the AIA-Triangle Merit Award and the 2008 Anthemion Award from Capital Area Preservation.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Apex Town Hall (Historic) Apex, North Carolina City and town halls in North Carolina City and town halls on the National Register of Historic Places in North Carolina Government buildings completed in 1912 Tourist attractions in Apex, North Carolina Buildings and structures in Wake County, North Carolina National Register of Historic Places in Wake County, North Carolina 1912 establishments in North Carolina

Halle Cultural Arts Center

See also

References