Peabody City Hall is the historic city hall of
Peabody, Massachusetts
Peabody () is a city in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 54,481 at the time of the 2020 United States Census. Peabody is located in the North Shore region of Massachusetts, and is known for its rich industrial histo ...
. It is located at 24 Lowell Street, near Peabody Square.
History and architecture
City Hall was built in 1883 as Town Hall, becoming City Hall when Peabody reincorporated as a city in 1916. The architect was
Rufus Sargent of
Newburyport. The building was built by Hamilton & Balcomb of
Salem
Salem may refer to: Places
Canada
Ontario
* Bruce County
** Salem, Arran–Elderslie, Ontario, in the municipality of Arran–Elderslie
** Salem, South Bruce, Ontario, in the municipality of South Bruce
* Salem, Dufferin County, Ontario, part ...
.
The three story Second Empire brick building was built in 1883. It follows a roughly square plan, with central projecting sections on each side, and a steeply pitched mansard-style roof with turret-like sections at the building corners. The front entry, facing Lowell Street, projects further than the others, with stairs leading to a recessed doorway sheltered by a portico supported by columns and pilasters. The building's red brick is set off by bands of granite trim, including that surrounding the arched portions of the building's windows.
As built, the basement floor contained police offices and the first floor contained the government offices and a large hall. The second and third floors of the building was entirely taken up by an auditorium, used for performances and
town meeting, later city council meetings. This space was decorated by Matthew L. Robinson of
Boston. In 1946, due to structural weaknesses the auditorium was ordered closed by state officials, and city council moved into the large hall downstairs.
[ In 1980 the building was restored, and city council moved back upstairs into the newly renamed Frank L. Wiggin Auditorium, and the police department moved to its own building, the former space being taken over by other government offices. In 2018 the auditorium was refurbished again, with hopes that it could be again used for performances.][Ethan Forman,]
City refurbishes auditorium, with hopes of reviving concert hall past
" salemnews.com, The Salem News, December 4, 2018. Accessed June 22, 2021.
The building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1972,[
]
See also
*
References
City and town halls on the National Register of Historic Places in Massachusetts
Government buildings completed in 1883
Buildings and structures in Peabody, Massachusetts
City halls in Massachusetts
National Register of Historic Places in Essex County, Massachusetts
Historic district contributing properties in Massachusetts
History of Peabody, Massachusetts
{{EssexCountyMA-NRHP-stub