Old Town Hall - Hamilton, Montana - City and Town Halls on Waymarking.com

Marcus Daly made his fortune from the mines at Butte, Montana and needed a source of timber for the mines. He found the timber he need here in the Bitterroot Valley and built a large mill and town for the workers. The town of Hamilton was incorporated in 1894 and named for James Hamilton, a daly employee, who platted the townsite along the route of the Northern Pacific Railroad in 1890. The Town Hall was designed by A.J. Gibson and was constructed in 1906 and contained city offices, the fire department, and the library. Over time the library and city offices moved to new and larger quarters but the fire department still occupies the building. The building was placed on the National Register of Historic Places on April 21, 1980.
Text of Sign in front of building:
Town halls originated in twelfth-century Italy, where bells were rung to call public assemblies. Missoula architect A.J. Gibson’s city hall design references this history. Allusions to Italy include such Italian Renaissance features as a low-pitched hipped roof, wide eaves, an arch above the front door, and a symmetrical facade. The prominent bell tower, common to American town halls, symbolizes the significance of democratic assembly. The building was designed in 1906 to house city offices, the fire department, and the public library. Originally, two sets of large bay doors, used for horse-drawn fire wagons, flanked the front entrance. Small communities frequently combined city services under one roof, but multiple use was not always ideal. Hamilton library patrons, for example, sometimes complained about the smell of horse. The library moved to a new facility in 1914, and in 1940 Hamilton remodeled the city hall/fire station, adding a truck bay to the building’s south side. While city offices moved to South Second Street in 1990, the fire department continues to operate from its original home.

Name: Hamilton Town Hall Address: 175 S. 3rd St Hamilton, Montana United States 59840 Date of Construction: 1906 Architect: A.J. Gibson Web Site for City/Town/Municipality: [Web Link] Memorials/Commemorations/Dedications: Not listed

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Date Logged Log User Rating   05/11/2019 DairyMedic visited it 10/08/2010 Volcanoguy visited it

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