Springfield Municipal Complex - Springfield, MA
Posted by: 
neoc1
N 42° 06.058 W 072° 35.389
18T E 699295 N 4663798
The Municipal Complex of three structures occupies the north side of the Court Square District in downtown Springfield.
Waymark Code: WMCNPK
Location: Massachusetts, United States
Date Posted: 09/26/2011
Views: 2
The Municipal Complex contains two matching Greek Revival buildings which house the City Hall and Symphony Hall. Between the two is the 300-foot Italianate Campanile clock and bell tower. The group was erected at a cost of two million dollars and dedicated December 8, 1913. It has become the iconic symbol of Springfield.
City Hall is is located on the northeast side of the complex. Springfield's first City Hall was destroyed by fire in 1905. According to Springfield lore, a monkey overturned a kerosene lamp at a City Hall fair and started the fire. The city was at the height of its industrial power and desperately needed a new city hall. It was decided to finance the present day magnificent grand municipal complex and retained architects Harvey Wiley Corbett and F. Livingston Pell to designed a Greek revival City Hall and Symphony Hall as well as the Italianate Campanile.
The 300-foot Italianate Campanile (Bell Tower) is the most prominent structure of the Springfield Municipal Complex. It is flanked by two two Greek Revival buildings which house City Hall and Symphony Hall. The campanile contains a carillon of twelve bells, that play sixteen notes of Handel's Messiah, and an illuminated four-faced clock. The face of each clock is fourteen feet in diameter. Originally, the clock and elevator were powered by water.
Symphony Hall is the cultural center of Springfield. It is home to the Springfield Symphony Orchestra under the leadership of Kevin Rhodes, Music Director. It was built in 1912 and was extensively refurbished and rededicated in 1980 as Symphony Hall. The building interior was renovated once again in 2004. The facility has 2611 seats - 1779 in the Orchestra and Grand Tier, 832 in the Balcony.
Name of Historic District (as listed on the NRHP): Court Square Historic District
Link to nationalregisterofhistoricplaces.com page with the Historic District: [Web Link]
NRHP Historic District Waymark (Optional): [Web Link]
Address:
36 Court Square
Springfield, MA 01103
How did you determine the building to be a contributing structure?: Narrative found on the internet (Link provided below)
Optional link to narrative or database: [Web Link]
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