Worcester Town Hall

Last updated
Worcester Town Hall
WorcesterVT TownHall.jpg
USA Vermont location map.svg
Red pog.svg
Usa edcp location map.svg
Red pog.svg
Location12 Worcester Village Rd., Worcester, Vermont
Coordinates 44°22′23″N72°33′0″W / 44.37306°N 72.55000°W / 44.37306; -72.55000 Coordinates: 44°22′23″N72°33′0″W / 44.37306°N 72.55000°W / 44.37306; -72.55000
Area0.5 acres (0.20 ha)
Built1912 (1912)
Architectural styleQueen Anne
MPS Historic Government Buildings MPS
NRHP reference No. 05001234 [1]
Added to NRHPNovember 9, 2005

Worcester Town Hall is the historic center of civic activity in Worcester, Vermont. Built in 1912 at the center of the rural community's main village, it has served since then as home to the community's town meetings, and for social gatherings and events. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2005. [1]

Contents

Description and history

Worcester Town Hall is located at the center of Worcester village, at the southeast corner of Worcester Village Road (Vermont Route 12) and Calais Road. It is a 2+12-story wood-frame structure, with a gabled roof and clapboarded exterior. It is basically vernacular in character, with modest Queen Anne detailing in its large gable returns and the turned posts supporting the front porch roof. Paired sash windows are set on the second story above the entrance, and a triangular fan is set in the gable. The interior has a front lobby, with flanking stairs to the second floor. On each floor, a hallway leads toward the rear, flanked by smaller rooms, leading to a larger meeting space. The downstairs space is smaller, the flanking rooms each housing kitchen spaces, while the upper meeting hall has a stage at the far end. [2]

The town of Worcester was chartered in 1763, but was abandoned in 1816, the "Year Without a Summer", when many crops failed. It was resettled in 1821, its early town meetings held in a local tavern. In 1846 a combination church and town hall was built, providing space for both town meetings and the local Congregationalists. That building was destroyed by fire in 1904. The present building was completed in 1912 on the site of the previous hall. It has been home to town meetings and social gatherings since then; the town's offices, which were never located in the previous building, are located in a different building constructed in 1990. [2]

See also

Related Research Articles

Liberty Hall (Machiasport, Maine) United States historic place

Liberty Hall is the historic town hall of Machiasport, Maine. Located on Maine State Route 92 in the town's village center, it is a prominent local example of Italianate architecture, and has served as a civic and community meeting space for more than 100 years. It was built in 1873, and was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1977.

Starksboro Village Meeting House United States historic place

The Starksboro Village Meeting House is a historic church and town hall on Vermont Route 116 in the village center of Starksboro, Vermont. It was built in 1838 as a cooperative venture between three church congregations and the town, and is a fine local example of Gothic Revival architecture. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1985.

Guilford Center Meeting House United States historic place

The Guilford Center Meeting House, formerly the Guilford Center Universalist Church, is a historic building on Guilford Center Road in Guilford, Vermont. Built in 1837, it is a well-preserved example of transitional Greek Revival architecture. The building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1982. It is now owned by the local historical society as a community meeting and event space.

Sudbury Congregational Church United States historic place

Sudbury Congregational Church, also known as the Sudbury Meetinghouse, is a historic church and town hall at 2702 Vermont Route 30 in Sudbury, Vermont. When it was built in 1807, it was a nearly exact replica of Plate 33 in Asher Benjamin's 1805 Country Builders Assistant. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1977.

Former Greenwood Town Hall United States historic place

The Former Greenwood Town Hall is located at 270 Main Street in Locke Mills, the main village of Greenwood, Maine. Completed in 1931, the building has been a center of civic and social activities since, hosting town meetings, elections, school graduations, dances, and private functions. It was replaced as town hall by the present facilities in 1988, and is now maintained by a local non-profit. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2001.

Weld Town Hall United States historic place

Weld Town Hall is located at 17 School Street in Weld, Maine. Built 1922-26 by the local Masonic Lodge, the build has been a major community center for many years, and has hosted its town meetings since 1925. It is now owned by the town, with space leased to the Masons on the second floor. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Old Town House (Parsonsfield, Maine) United States historic place

The Old Town House is the town hall of Parsonsfield, Maine. Located on Merrill Hill Road, the 1834 Greek Revival building has served as the town's main civic building for more than 150 years. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2002.

Londonderry Town House United States historic place

The Londonderry Town House, or the Londonderry Town Hall is the town hall of Londonderry, Vermont. It is located on Middletown Road in the village of South Londonderry. Built in 1860, its architecture encapsulates the changing functions of this type of public venue through more than 100 years of history. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1983.

Mallett Hall (Pownal Center, Maine) United States historic place

Mallett Hall is the town hall of Pownal, Maine. It is an architecturally distinctive Colonial Revival building, constructed in 1886 in the crossroads village of Pownal Center. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1991 for its architecture.

Pawlet Town Hall United States historic place

Pawlet Town Hall houses the municipal offices of the town of Pawlet, Vermont. Located at 122 School Street in the village center, it was built in 1881 as a combined town hall, meeting and performance venue, and retail establishment. It has served as town hall since its construction, and is a good local example of late Italianate architecture. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1995.

West Rutland Town Hall United States historic place

The West Rutland Town Hall is located at Main and Marble Streets in the village center of West Rutland, Vermont. Built in 1908-09, it is a fine and restrained example of Colonial Revival architecture, and originally housed town offices, the public library, and a community meeting space. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1983.

Damon Hall United States historic place

Damon Hall, also known as Hartland Town Hall, is located at the junction of United States Route 5, Quechee Road, and Vermont Route 12 in the village center of Hartland, Vermont. Built in 1914-15 as a memorial to the locally prominent businessman William E. Damon, it is a fine local example of Colonial Revival architecture, and has served the town in many capacities since its construction. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1988.

Fairlee Town Hall United States historic place

Fairlee Town Hall, at 75 Town Center Road, is the municipal heart of Fairlee, Vermont. It was built in 1913 to a design by a local architect, replacing the old Fairlee Opera House, which was destroyed by fire in 1912. It is a fine example of Colonial Revival architecture, and is a focal point of the village center and the town's civic life. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2014.

Ripton Community House United States historic place

The Ripton Community House, formerly the Ripton Congregational Church, is a historic former church and present community hall on Vermont Route 125 in the village of Ripton, Vermont. Built in 1864 for a Congregationalist church, it has since served as a community clubhouse and town-owned meeting hall, and is a fine local example of vernacular Greek Revival architecture. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1973.

Monkton Town Hall United States historic place

Monkton Town Hall is a historic government building on Monkton Ridge Road in Monkton, Vermont. Built in 1859, it is a fine local example of Greek Revival architecture. For many years it was the site of town meetings, and it now houses the town offices. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1978.

Cornwall Town Hall United States historic place

The Cornwall Town Hall is located at 2629 Vermont Route 30 in Cornwall, Vermont. Built in 1880 and enlarged in 1905 to also house the local Grange chapter, it is one of the rural community's few examples of Italianate architecture, and has served as a community meeting point since its construction. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1986.

St. Albans Town Hall United States historic place

St. Albans Town Hall is the center of government of the town of St. Albans, Vermont. It is located at 579 Lake Road in the village of St. Albans Bay. It is a Richardsonian Romanesque building, constructed in 1898, two years after the city of St. Albans, the former town center, was politically separated. The building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1996.

Woodbury Town Hall United States historic place

Woodbury Town Hall is center of town government of Woodbury, Vermont. It is located on the west side of Vermont Route 14 in the town's village center. Built in 1842, it is a well-preserved example of a vernacular Greek Revival municipal building. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1995.

Worcester Village School United States historic place

The Worcester Village School is a historic school building at 17 Calais Road in Worcester, Vermont. It was built in 1892, and is a good early example of a town-wide partially graded school with restrained Queen Anne features. It served as a school until 1979, and is now owned by the local historical society. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2005.

J. S. Sweeney Store, Barn, Livery and Hall United States historic place

The J.S. Sweeney Store, Barn, Livery and Hall were a trio of historically important commercial buildings on Vermont Route 105 in East Charleston, Vermont. Dating as far back as 1860, the general store, bank barn, and combination livery and community hall have been a center of community activity since their construction. They were listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1992. Of the three buildings, only the store is still standing.

References

  1. 1 2 "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places . National Park Service. July 9, 2010.
  2. 1 2 Lyssa Papazian. "NRHP nomination for Worcester Town Hall". National Park Service . Retrieved 2016-12-01. with photos from 2005