1927 - Old Denton City Hall - Denton, TX
N 33° 12.989 W 097° 08.029
14S E 673917 N 3676839
Built in 1927, the old Denton City Hall is located at 221 N Elm St, Denton, TX, having long served in a variety of roles. Today, it serves as a sub-station of the main city hall complex that is a few blocks away.
Waymark Code: WMRFDD
Location: Texas, United States
Date Posted: 06/18/2016
Views: 5
The building is a Recorded Texas Historic Landmark, and has survived an occasional scare regarding its future. A 2015 Texas Historical Marker provides some background:
From 1894 until October 1927, the Denton city hall was housed in an 1877 red brick building located at the corner of Oak and Bolivar Streets. The rapid growth of Denton in the early 20th century called for a newer and more spacious building. In 1927, a new city hall was designed by the prominent Fort Worth architectural firm Van Slyke and Woodruff in the Spanish Renaissance style, a very popular style in the Southwest during the twenties. Reminiscent of South Texas missions, the white brick building with ornamental stone embellishments, arched windows and tiled roof has two stories and a basement. The original plan included a belfry to hold the fire alarm bell because the fire station occupied the rear area of the building. This arrangement lasted through the 1970s until a new fire station was built near the city hall. Governor Dan Moody, Mayor B.W. McKenzie and other local and state dignitaries attended the dedication ceremony on October 8, 1927.
In 1969, city offices moved to the O'Neil Ford-designed municipal complex which consisted of the civic center, municipal pool, library expansion, and city hall, located in Civic Center Park (now Quakertown Park) on McKinney Street. In 1970, the Denton Community Theatre moved into the old city hall and used the auditorium for performances. This facility was called the "Firehouse Theatre" and occupied the space until 1981 when the city decided to move the police department into the building. Interior renovations began in 1981. The city hall was known for its annual Christmas decorations that started in the late 1920 and continued through the 1960s, attracting thousands of viewers each Christmas season.
Year of construction: 1927
Full inscription:
Municipal Building
B.W. McKenzie
Mayor
Commissioners
W.S. Miller
Chairman
L. Bailey
* G. Tom Turner
W.R. Lakey
Claude Castleberry
Francis M. Craddock
* Term Expired April 1927
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Laid by
Standfield Lodge
No. 217 A.F & A.M.
May 14, 1927
E.W. VanSlyke & W.L. Bradshaw
Architects
E. Ross Chamblin
Structural Engineer
J.F. Johnson
General Contractor
Cross-listed waymark: Not listed
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