City Hall

The City Hall is located on Washington Street, the main thoroughfare of Salem, with commercial structures on either side of it. Completed in 1838, this two-story building is late Greek Revival in style. The side and rear elevations are unadorned brick while the main facade is dressed granite. Three bays wide, this facade is broken by four giant pilasters, one on each corner and one on either side of the recessed center bay. The bays are set with tall windows, 6 over 6. The central entrance is reached by a short flight of granite steps; a cast iron lamp on a bracket projects from above. The tall front double doors are made of mahogany with brass studs outlining the center panels. The pilasters support a massive entablature whose frieze is decorated with carved stone laurel wreaths.

A parapet rises from the entablature and, over the center bay, this forms a partial pediment. The latter is topped by a gold leafed eagle which is an exact copy of the original, hurricane- damaged one done by Samuel McIntire. The first floor is occupied by various city offices. The Mayor's office and City Council Chambers are on the second floor, unaltered since 1838. The Council Chamber is notable for its fine center and corner rosettes in the ceiling, repeated in the corner rosettes of the fluted door and window framing. The building was enlarged in 1878 by an extension in the rear which in no way altered its original appearance as seen from the street. 09 9 RECEIVED NUV 13 1972 NATIONAL REGISTER (TED M - C

18th Century 19th Century 20th Century L Political Religion/Phi- losophy Science Sculpture Social/Human- itarian Theater Transportation Urban Planning Other (Specity) Leverett Saltonstall and a committee appointed for that purpose. the second city in Massachusetts to be incorporated (1836) and Saltonstall was Salem's first mayor. The City Hall was built from the surplus revenue of the United States Treasury distributed in 1837 to the states and by the latter to the towns and cities. The building cost $22,878 when finished; this is perhaps one of the few municipal structures in existence paid for without taxing the citizens. Since 1837, the building has served as the focal point for the decision- making process in Salem. Such men as Saltonstall, Reverend Charles W.

Upham, General William Cogswell, General Henry Kemble Qlíver and George J. Bates not only occupied City Hall as mayors of Salem, and thereby took part in the political process, but subsequently went on to serve the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, as well as the Congress of the United States, in a dis-en tinguished manner. The City Hall is architecturally significant because of its excellent Greek Revival design. It is perfectly proportioned and in spite of its comparatively small size, gives a feeling of strength and dignity. At present the architect is unknown, in spite of extensive research.

He was described in contemporary reports only as "an architect of great fame", "an architect of high reputation" and designed by"a distinguished architect." The facade is reminiscent of Robert Mills, with the ceiling rosettes in the Counci1 Chamber exact duplicates of those done by Alexander Parris for Faneuil Hall Market in Boston. RECEVED Nuv iëi 1972 LO 0.