Minneapolis City Hall

Last updated
Minneapolis City Hall-Hennepin County Courthouse
Minneapolis City Hall 2013.jpg
Location Minneapolis, Minnesota
Coordinates 44°58′38″N93°15′55″W / 44.9773°N 93.2654°W / 44.9773; -93.2654
Built1888–1909
Built by Charles F. Haglin and Charles Morse [1]
Architect Long and Kees
Architectural style Richardsonian Romanesque
NRHP reference No. 74001022
Added to NRHPDecember 4, 1974

Minneapolis City Hall and Hennepin County Courthouse (also known as the Municipal Building), designed by Long and Kees in 1888, is the main building used by the city government of Minneapolis, as well as by Hennepin County, in the U.S. state of Minnesota. The structure has served as mainly local government offices since it was built, and today the building is 60 percent occupied by the city and 40 percent occupied by the County. The building is jointly owned by the city and county and managed by the Municipal Building Commission. The Commission consists of the chair of the County Board, the mayor of the City of Minneapolis, a member of the County Board and a member of the Minneapolis City Council. The County Board chair serves as the president of the Commission and the mayor serves as the vice president. The building bears a striking resemblance to the city hall buildings in Cincinnati and Toronto. The City Hall and Courthouse was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1974.

Contents

Architecture

Stereoscopic photograph of the old City Hall at Nicollet Avenue and Hennepin Avenue by William H. Jacoby City hall, Nicollet, and Hennepin Aves, by W. H. Jacoby.jpg
Stereoscopic photograph of the old City Hall at Nicollet Avenue and Hennepin Avenue by William H. Jacoby

The building replaced an earlier City Hall that existed from 1873 until 1912 near the old intersection between Hennepin Avenue and Nicollet Avenue. That structure eventually was razed to make way for Gateway Park, which continues to occupy part of the old City Hall site. The building also replaced an earlier courthouse and also the earlier Hennepin County Jail, which was located where U.S. Bank Stadium currently stands.

Before the construction of the original City Hall in 1873, city government officials worked out of rented space in the Pence Opera House building, located at Hennepin Avenue and 2nd Street. [2]

Minneapolis City Hall, Franklin Bidwell Long and Frederick Kees, architects, finished 1906 (view from northwest) City Hall, Hennepin County Court House, Minneapolis, Minn (NYPL b12647398-62335).tiff
Minneapolis City Hall, Franklin Bidwell Long and Frederick Kees, architects, finished 1906 (view from northwest)

The building, located at 350 South Fifth Street, is an example of Richardsonian Romanesque architecture. The design is based upon Henry Hobson Richardson's Allegheny County Courthouse in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Washington School, the first schoolhouse in Minneapolis west of the Mississippi River, was demolished to make way for the new building. Groundbreaking took place in 1889, and the cornerstone was laid (a story off the ground) in 1891. Construction did not officially end until 1906, although the structural exterior was essentially complete by the end of 1895. The county began moving in to its side (4th Ave.) in November 1895, while the city (3rd Ave.) side was not occupied until December 1902. Cost was about $3,554,000, which works out to 28¢ per cubic foot ($10/m3).

City Hall with current copper roof Minneapolis City Hall.jpg
City Hall with current copper roof

When constructed, the building claimed to have the world's largest four-faced chiming clock. At 24 feet, 6 inches (just under 7+12 meters), the faces are 18 inches (45.7 cm) wider than those of the Great Clock in London (which houses the famous hour bell Big Ben). The tower housing the clock reaches 345 feet (105 m) in height, and was the tallest structure in the city until the 1920s when the Foshay Tower was built. A 15-bell chime in the tower is played regularly, with noontime concerts provided to the public on holidays and on Fridays and certain Sundays during the warm months. The chime was originally 10 bells, and it was first played on March 10, 1896.

The building is built of rose granite quarried in Ortonville, with many stones greater than 20 tonnes in weight. The granite was originally only going to be used for the foundation of the building, with brick used for the upper portion. However, the public appreciated the appearance of the foundation so much that they lobbied for the entire building to be made of granite. This may be a reason for the significant cost overruns — it was originally expected to cost only $1.15 million.

Unlike most buildings in downtown Minneapolis, there are no "skyways" connecting the city hall to the rest of the city. Since exterior alterations are not allowed for buildings on the National Register of Historic Places, tunnels were constructed instead. Public pedestrian tunnels connect the building to the Hennepin County Government Center under 5th Street, and to the U.S. Courthouse under 4th Street. There are also restricted tunnels for use by the sheriff connecting under 4th Avenue to the Hennepin County Jail and to the Government Center. The METRO Blue and Green light rail lines have a stop on the south side of the building: the Government Plaza station.

Interior

City council chambers around 1900 Minneapolis Council Chambers 1900.JPG
City council chambers around 1900

Inside, on the 4th Street side, there is a large five-story rotunda including a large sculpture, "Father of Waters," by American sculptor Larkin Goldsmith Mead who lived in Florence, Italy at the time. According to legend, rubbing his big toe brings good luck. It was placed inside the building in 1906. Originally, the building had a red terracotta roof, but it began leaking so a copper roof was installed. At 180,000 pounds (81.6 t), it was said to be the largest in the country. The copper has since acquired its characteristic green patina.

The "Father of Waters" sculpture Minneapolis City Hall - Father of Waters.jpg
The "Father of Waters" sculpture

Over the years, some of the larger spaces in the building were subdivided to make more office space. In the 1940s and 1950s, the city built a mezzanine floor over its side of the 3rd floor, and the county built an annex building on its side of the courtyard. In 1981, a committee plan recommended converting some of the spaces back to their original design and that other spaces be converted to a more open design with offices fronting onto the courtyard instead of the current corridors. The plan also called for the annex building in the courtyard to be demolished, the courtyard domed, and the Father of Waters sculpture moved in there. Many of these aspects of the plan were rejected, although restoration of certain historic spaces has been completed.

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Osseo, Minnesota</span> Town in Minnesota, United States

Osseo is a small city in Hennepin County, Minnesota, United States. As of the 2020 United States Census, it has a population of 2,688.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Foshay Tower</span> United States historic place

The Foshay Tower, now the W Minneapolis – The Foshay hotel, is a skyscraper in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Modeled after the Washington Monument, the building was completed in 1929, months before the stock market crash in October of that year. It has 32 floors and stands 447 feet (136 m) high, plus an antenna mast that extends the total height of the structure to 607 feet (185 m). The building, which was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1978, is an example of Art Deco architecture. Its address is 821 Marquette Avenue, although it is set well back from the street and is actually closer to 9th Street than Marquette.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Philadelphia City Hall</span> City hall of Philadelphia

Philadelphia City Hall is the seat of the municipal government of the City of Philadelphia in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. Built in the ornate Second Empire style, City Hall houses the chambers of the Philadelphia City Council and the offices of the Mayor of Philadelphia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Old City Hall (Toronto)</span> Civic building, court house in Ontario, Canada

The Old City Hall is a Romanesque-style civic building and court house in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It was the home of the Toronto City Council from 1899 to 1966 and remains one of the city's most prominent structures.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Government Plaza station</span> Light rail station in Minneapolis, Minnesota

Government Plaza is a Metro light rail station on the Blue Line and Green Line in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The station is located on 5th Street South, between 3rd and 4th Avenues South in downtown Minneapolis. This station opened on June 26, 2004, with initial light rail service in the Twin Cities.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Metropolitan Life Insurance Company Tower</span> Office skyscraper in Manhattan, New York

The Metropolitan Life Insurance Company Tower is a skyscraper occupying a full block in the Flatiron District of Manhattan in New York City. The building is composed of two sections: a 700-foot-tall (210 m) tower at the northwest corner of the block, at Madison Avenue and 24th Street, and a shorter east wing occupying the remainder of the block bounded by Madison Avenue, Park Avenue South, 23rd Street, and 24th Street. The South Building, along with the North Building directly across 24th Street, comprises the Metropolitan Home Office Complex, which originally served as the headquarters of the Metropolitan Life Insurance Company.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hennepin County Government Center</span> Government building in Minneapolis

Hennepin County Government Center is the courthouse and primary county government administration building for Hennepin County in the U.S. state of Minnesota. It is located in downtown Minneapolis, the county seat of Hennepin County. Before its construction, the Hennepin County government offices were housed in the Minneapolis City Hall-Hennepin County Courthouse. The building was opened in 1974 and occupied in stages in 1975.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Allegheny County Courthouse</span> Courthouse and jail complex in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, U.S.

The Allegheny County Courthouse in downtown Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, is part of a complex designed by H. H. Richardson. The buildings are considered among the finest examples of the Romanesque Revival style for which Richardson is well known.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lumen Technologies Building</span> American skyscraper

The Lumen Technologies Building in Minneapolis, Minnesota was completed in 1932 and became the tallest building to be built in the city during the 1930s, 1940s, and 1950s. Named for its current owner, it was previously known as the CenturyLink Building, Qwest Building and the Northwestern Bell Telephone Building. Originally standing 346 feet (105 m) tall, the structure grew to 416 feet (127 m) with the addition of a microwave antenna "crown" in 1958, followed by the addition of a second tier of microwave antennas in 1972. It was the second-tallest building in the city after the slightly older Foshay Tower for many years, and stands slightly taller than the tower of its neighbor, Minneapolis City Hall.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Soo Line Building</span> United States historic place

The Soo Line Building is a 19-story residential highrise in Minneapolis, Minnesota which was the tallest commercial building in the city from the time it was completed in 1915 until the 26-story Foshay Tower was built in 1929.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Portsmouth Guildhall</span> Municipal building in Portsmouth, Hampshire, England

Portsmouth Guildhall is a multi-use building in the centre of Portsmouth, UK, located on a pedestrian square close to the Portsmouth and Southsea railway station. Constructed in 1890, the building was known as Portsmouth Town Hall until 1926. It was heavily damaged by bombing during the Second World War and largely rebuilt during the 1950s by the English architect Ernest Berry Webber. It now operates as a concert, wedding and conference venue. It is a Grade II listed building.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Central, Minneapolis</span> Community of Minneapolis

The Central Minneapolis community is located in the central part of the city, consisting of 6 smaller official neighborhoods, and includes Downtown Minneapolis and the central business district. It also includes the many old flour mills, the Mill District, and other historical and industrial areas of Downtown Minneapolis. It also includes some high-density residential areas surrounding it, excluding areas east of the Mississippi River. Businesses and government buildings are based in the Central area include the corporate headquarters of the Star Tribune, Target, US Bank, the Hennepin County Government Center, Minneapolis City Hall, and the broadcast facilities of the Minnesota CBS station WCCO-TV.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mayo Clinic Square</span>

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gateway District (Minneapolis)</span> Human settlement in Minneapolis, Minnesota, US

The Gateway District of Minneapolis is centered at the convergence of Hennepin Avenue, Nicollet Avenue, and Washington Avenue. Its borders are not officially designated or recognized, but are visible as the Mississippi River to the northeast, Cedar Lake Trail and the railroad tracks to the northwest, Fifth Avenue South to the southeast. and Fourth Street South to the southwest. The district includes a significant part of the Downtown West neighborhood and abuts the North Loop.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Minneapolis Great Northern Depot</span> Demolished train station in Minnesota

The Minneapolis Great Northern Depot, also known as Great Northern Station, was a passenger railroad station which served Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA. It was built in 1913 and demolished in 1978. It was located on Hennepin Avenue next to the Hennepin Avenue Bridge and across the street from the main Minneapolis Post Office.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Martin County Courthouse (Minnesota)</span> United States historic place

The Martin County Courthouse is the county courthouse for Martin County, Minnesota. The building is located at 201 Lake Avenue on the western side of the city of Fairmont, on a hill overlooking Lake Sisseton. It is a Beaux Arts building featuring a high copper dome with four clock faces. The first floor was made out of Michigan sandstone. The second and third stories are built of Bedford limestone. The arched entrance is flanked by polished double Corinthian order columns and topped by a pediment.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">33 South Sixth</span> Skyscraper

33 South Sixth, formerly known as International Multifoods Tower, is a skyscraper in Minneapolis, Minnesota. It was designed by Skidmore, Owings and Merrill and stands 52 stories tall at 668 ft (204 m). Its name comes from its address: 33 South Sixth Street, Minneapolis. It was completed in 1983 as headquarters for International Multifoods Corporation, which occupied the structure until 1997 when it moved to suburban Wayzata. Although the corporate offices relocated, the name remained until 2003 under the terms of its lease. Adjacent to the tower is the Minneapolis City Center shopping mall, which occupies the ground level, skyway, and third levels.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Globe Building (Minneapolis)</span>

The Globe Building was an 8-floor building in Minneapolis. It was the first recorded tallest building in Minnesota. It was built in 1889 to house the offices of the St. Paul Globe newspaper while the remainder of the building was rented as office space. Richard Warren Sears was among its early tenants.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hennepin Avenue United Methodist Church</span>

Hennepin Avenue United Methodist Church is a church across the Virginia Triangle from the Walker Art Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Its address is 511 Groveland Avenue.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Minneapolis Central Library</span> Public library in Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA

References

  1. "C.F. Haglin Company Papers". University of Minnesota Libraries. 2010. Retrieved 2013-02-04.
  2. Millett, Larry (1992). Lost Twin Cities. Minnesota Historical Society Press. p. 90. ISBN   978-0-87351-273-2.
Preceded by
Unknown
Tallest building in Minnesota
1895–1926
104 metres (341 ft)
Succeeded by