Kingston City Hall | |
 South elevation and east profile, 2008 | |
| Location | Kingston, NY |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 41°55′37″N73°59′46″W / 41.92694°N 73.99611°W Coordinates: 41°55′37″N73°59′46″W / 41.92694°N 73.99611°W |
| Built | 1872–73 [1] |
| Architect | Arthur Crooks [1] |
| Architectural style | Victorian |
| NRHP reference # | 71000563 |
| Added to NRHP | December 9, 1971 |
The City Hall building in Kingston, New York, United States, is located on Broadway in the center of the city. It is a red brick building in a late Victorian architectural style dating from 1873.
Kingston is a city in and the county seat of Ulster County, New York, United States. It is 91 miles (146 km) north of New York City and 59 miles (95 km) south of Albany. The city's metropolitan area is grouped with the New York metropolitan area by the United States Census Bureau, It became New York's first capital in 1777, and was burned by the British on October 13, 1777, after the Battles of Saratoga. In the 19th century, the city became an important transport hub after the discovery of natural cement in the region, and had both railroad and canal connections. Passenger rail service has since ceased, and many of the older buildings are part of three historic districts, including the Stockade District uptown, the Midtown Neighborhood Broadway Corridor, and the Rondout-West Strand Historic District downtown.
Victorian architecture is a series of architectural revival styles in the mid-to-late 19th century. Victorian refers to the reign of Queen Victoria (1837–1901), called the Victorian era, during which period the styles known as Victorian were used in construction. However, many elements of what is typically termed "Victorian" architecture did not become popular until later in Victoria's reign. The styles often included interpretations and eclectic revivals of historic styles. The name represents the British and French custom of naming architectural styles for a reigning monarch. Within this naming and classification scheme, it followed Georgian architecture and later Regency architecture, and was succeeded by Edwardian architecture.
An architectural style is characterized by the features that make a building or other structure notable or historically identifiable. It is a sub-class of style in the visual arts generally, and most styles in architecture related closely to the wider contemporary artistic style. A style may include such elements as form, method of construction, building materials, and regional character. Most architecture can be classified within a chronology of styles which changes over time reflecting changing fashions, beliefs and religions, or the emergence of new ideas, technology, or materials which make new styles possible.
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It sits on what had been the boundary between the villages of Kingston and Rondout prior to their merger to form the city of Kingston. [2] First used for governmental purposes in 1875, its design was modified after sustaining serious damage in a 1927 fire. In 1971 it was listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the first listing in the city. The city government moved to a new building the next year, leaving the building vacant for over 20 years. After an extensive restoration in the late 20th century, the city has moved back in.
Rondout, is situated on the Hudson River, at the mouth of Rondout Creek. Originally a maritime village serving the nearby city of Kingston, New York, Rondout merged with Kingston in 1872. It now includes the Rondout-West Strand Historic District.
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. A property listed in the National Register, or located within a National Register Historic District, may qualify for tax incentives derived from the total value of expenses incurred in preserving the property.
Building restoration describes a particular treatment approach and philosophy within the field of architectural conservation.
