Sandwich City Hall, which is also known as the Sandwich City Hall & Opera House, is the government center for the city of Sandwich, Illinois, in DeKalb County. The first floor of the building is occupied by city government while the second floor of the historic building houses an active opera house. Sandwich City Hall & Opera House is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and has been since 1979.
Sandwich City Hall was constructed in 1878. This building reflects the post-Civil WarSecond Empire style, meant to evoke the spirit of the early years after a war that broke apart the purer architectural styles and mingled together in a mixture of revival styles. The construction was funded by a bond issue of $10,000 approved by the mayor and city aldermen in Sandwich. Eventually, a $2,000 cost overrun required additional bond issues. The city turned over the design of the structure to local architects Enos and Israel Doan. The building was completed on schedule in January 1879. The finished product was 48 by 80 feet. The first floor had 12 foot ceilings while the second floor included a balcony and 22 foot ceilings.[2]
The building became a complete community center when it was completed. The first floor housed the mayor's office, the city clerk's office, council room, visiting judge's chambers, engine room and a marshall's office. The marshall's office had five jail cells. The upper floor of the building became the opera house. The opera house became an all-purpose theatre. It featured shows of all types, vaudevillian, Shakespearean, lectures, Women's Christian Temperance Union meetings, recitals, high school plays and graduations, church gatherings, firemen's ball and many other events. As other facilities became available to clientele the Opera House was left idle following World War II. City government offices continued to function within building despite the dormant theater above.[2]
New life
Sandwich City Hall from its east side
A community group was responsible for Sandwich City Hall's placement on the National Register in 1979. A few years later in 1982 the group, the Association to Restore City Hall, was given tax-exempt status and received a grant of nearly $1.3 million from the Illinois Department of Commerce and Community Affairs in 1983. The grant covered 75% of restoration and construction costs and the restoration was completed in 1986.[2] The restoration provided new offices for many city government officials including the mayor, City Clerk, Assistant City Clerk, and City Engineer. In addition it provided for a public area where residents could pay bills or conduct other business.[3]
The restoration also included an addition on the rear of the building. The addition provided for a community room on the first floor and on the second floor allowed for additional facilities for the opera house, including make up rooms and storage. Other areas to be restored and renovated included the foyers, the main entrance, the original walnutstaircase on the west side of the building and a custom made stairway for the east are of the second floor was constructed.[3] The police department and jail area ceased to be used in 1977 but the restoration incorporated it into the revamped structure. Though the jail area is now a women's restroom it still bears the old iron bars of the original jail cells, albeit fastened open.[3]
When the restoration was completed in 1986 the city of Sandwich held a rededication ceremony that was attended by several state level political officials including then Lieutenant GovernorGeorge H. Ryan. The rededication was attended by numerous local officials as well.[3]
The once-dormant Opera House portion of the city hall building is once again fully operational. With city government still operating on the first floor the opera house has a full season. Sandwich City Hall's second floor has become home to classical music performances, country-western ensembles, student recitals, bluegrass performances, dance, drama by the Indian Valley Theatre, pop performances, and numerous other events. The facility is available for rent based upon scheduling.[2] In the first year following the 1986 restoration 18,725 people attended performances and programs of all types at the opera house.[3]
The City Hall-County Building, commonly known as City Hall, is a 12-story building in Chicago, Illinois that houses the seats of government of the City of Chicago and Cook County. The building's west side holds the offices of the mayor, city clerk, and city treasurer; some city departments; offices of alderpersons of Chicago's 50 wards; and the Chicago City Council's chambers. The building's east side houses offices of the Government of Cook County, including the Cook County Board of Commissioners' chambers.
The Sydney Town Hall is a late 19th-century heritage-listed town hall building in the city of Sydney, the capital city of New South Wales, Australia, housing the chambers of the Lord Mayor of Sydney, council offices, and venues for meetings and functions. It is located at 483 George Street, in the Sydney central business district opposite the Queen Victoria Building and alongside St Andrew's Cathedral. Sited above the Town Hall station and between the city shopping and entertainment precincts, the steps of the Town Hall are a popular meeting place.
The Newberry Opera House, located in Newberry, South Carolina, is a fully restored historic building that is a live-performance space for popular artists, touring theatre companies, and local organizations. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1969.
The Miami-Dade County Courthouse, formerly known as the Dade County Courthouse, is a historic courthouse and skyscraper located at 73 West Flagler Street in Miami, Florida. Constructed over four years (1925–28), it was added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places on January 4, 1989. The building is 361 feet (110 m) tall with 28 floors. When it was built, it was the tallest building the city of Miami and state of Florida.
The City and Town Hall in downtown Rochelle, Ogle County, Illinois, United States, operates as the township history museum, holding a number of static displays on local history. Historically it served as the headquarters for city and township government as well as holding the offices of numerous state, local and national entities. The building was erected in 1884 following an 18-year disagreement about the structure's cost between the city of Rochelle and Flagg Township.
Halifax City Hall is the home of municipal government in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. Designed by architect Edward Elliot, and constructed for the City of Halifax between 1887 and 1890, it is one of the oldest and largest public buildings in Nova Scotia. The property was designated a National Historic Site of Canada in 1997.
The Santa Barbara County Courthouse (Courthouse) is a well-known example of Spanish Colonial Revival architecture and is located in Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara County, California. Started in 1926 and completed in 1929, the Courthouse originally served as Santa Barbara County’s (County) superior courthouse, jail, and administrative office. The Courthouse was included on the National Register of Historic Places in 1981, was made a City of Santa Barbara Historic Landmark in 1982, a California Historical Landmark in 2004, and a National Historic Landmark in 2005. Over the years, most County administrative offices were relocated to other County buildings. The current Courthouse houses six County Superior Court rooms, the Mural Room, the County Hall of Records, the County Public Defender's Office, offices of the County General Services Department, and the McMahon Law Library. The Courthouse is open to the public and is a popular site for community gatherings and weddings. Architect Charles Willard Moore called it the "grandest Spanish Colonial Revival structure ever built," and the prime example of Santa Barbara's adoption of Spanish Colonial as its civic style.
The Alexandria City Hall also known as the Alexandria Market House & City Hall, in Alexandria, Virginia, is a building built in 1871 and designed by Adolph Cluss. In 1984, the building was listed on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places.
Tina Weedon Smith Memorial Hall, located at 805 S. Mathews Avenue in Urbana, Illinois, is an historic building on the campus of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Smith Hall is located just off the main quad of campus and is just east of Foellinger Auditorium. The building was constructed in 1917-21 and was designed in the Beaux-Arts style by James M. White and George E. Wright.
The Prescott Elks Theater and Performing Arts Center is a classically designed turn of the 20th century opera house seating over 500. Completed in 1905 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places as Elks Building and Theater, it was one of many "Elks' Opera Houses" across the country. Now over a hundred years later only one still exists.
BiddefordCity Theater is a year-round near 500-seat, restored Victorian opera house at 205 Main Street in Biddeford, Maine, United States. Biddeford City Theater is a non-profit, volunteer-driven, organization that produces and hosts plays, musicals, concerts, movies, music, comedy, and other artistic performances with patrons from all over New England. The mission of City Theater Associates is to foster an appreciation for the performing arts by using creative avenues to increase community involvement.
The Waterbury Municipal Center Complex, also known as the Cass Gilbert National Register District, is a group of five buildings, including City Hall, on Field and Grand streets in Waterbury, Connecticut, United States. They are large stone and brick structures, all designed by Cass Gilbert in the Georgian Revival and Second Renaissance Revival architectural styles, built during the 1910s. In 1978 they were designated as a historic district and listed on the National Register of Historic Places. They are now contributing properties to the Downtown Waterbury Historic District.
Hudson Hall at the historic Hudson Opera House is an arts organization and venue in downtown Hudson, New York. The organization presents and produces arts and cultural programming year-round, and is an important civic partner in the vitality of Hudson. The building, constructed in 1855 as Hudson's city hall, is New York's oldest surviving theater.
The Cedarville Opera House is a historic theater in the village of Cedarville, Ohio, United States. Erected in 1888 on Main Street in downtown Cedarville, it has been a premier part of community life since its construction.
The Wallowa County Courthouse is the seat of government for Wallowa County in northeastern Oregon. The courthouse is located in Enterprise, Oregon. It was built in 1909–1910 using locally quarried stone. It is a massive High Victorian structure built of local Bowlby stone. The courthouse was listed on National Register of Historic Places in 2000. Today, the courthouse still houses Wallowa County government offices.
The New York Court of Appeals Building, officially referred to as Court of Appeals Hall, is located at the corner of Eagle and Pine streets in central Albany, New York, United States. It is a stone Greek Revival building built in 1842 from a design by Henry Rector. In 1971 it was listed on the National Register of Historic Places, one of seven buildings housing a state's highest court currently so recognized. Seven years later it was included as a contributing property when the Lafayette Park Historic District was listed on the Register.
Calgary City Hall, is the seat of government for Calgary City Council, located in the city's downtown core of Calgary, Alberta, Canada. The historic building completed in 1911 serves as the offices for Calgary City Council, consisting of the office of the Mayor, fourteen Councillors and municipal Clerk. Calgary City Hall originally housed the municipal council and portions of administration from its completion in 1911 until the construction of the Calgary Municipal Building adjacent to Old City Hall in 1985, which currently houses the offices of 2,000 civic administrators.
Granville Town Hall is a heritage-listed former town hall at 10 Carlton Street, Granville, Cumberland Council, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. It was designed by C. A. Harding and J. W. Hill (auditorium). The council chambers were built in 1888 by Banks and Whitehurst, with the auditorium added in 1900, to serve as the seat of the Municipality of Granville. The property is now owned by Cumberland Council since 2016, having been owned by the City of Parramatta since 1949. It was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 5 December 2003.
Kuopio City Hall is a town hall in center of the Kuopio, Finland, near the Kuopio Market Square. It was designed by Finnish architects F. A. Sjöström and Josef Stenbäck, and was completed in 1886. Stylistically, the city hall is of the Neo-Renaissance of the second half of the 19th century. The current exterior coloring of the house dates back to 1974. In the most beautiful municipal buildings poll, in 2009 Kuopio City Hall was chosen among the three most beautiful municipal buildings. When completed, it sovereignly controlled the northern edge of the market square, the area around the square was still completely wooden at that time. Spatial changes were common in the first decades of the house. The first floor of the house had a restaurant and a public library.
77 North Front Street is a municipal office building of Columbus, Ohio, in the city's downtown Civic Center. The building, originally built as the Central Police Station in 1930, operated in that function until 1991. After about two decades of vacancy, the structure was renovated for city agency use in 2011.
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