The historical marker on the south wall of the service station indicates that the
Municipal Hall and Fire Hall were constructed in, or shortly after 1928. Archives of the Quesnel Cariboo Observer, which are quite comprehensive, render no mention of a, village hall, town hall, city hall or municipal hall until a brief mention in November of 1931 that "
Another staircase is to be built at the municipal hall by order of the fire marshall". By December 13, construction on the fire hall had ceased due to lack of funds, but that is the earliest mention of a fire hall.
In any event, it appears that the
Municipal Hall and Fire Hall did eventually get completed, probably in 1931. A photo of the building on the marker reveals a date of
1930 below
Quesnel Municipal Hall. Quesnel built another combined
city hall-fire hall in 1958. In 2002 Quesnel staged a gala Grand Opening of a new
$4 million city hall on Saturday, May 4, 2002.
December 13, 1930
Work on the new fire hall has been discontinued for the time being, for lack of funds. The interior finishing is now all that needs to be done. The building is now ready, however, for the fire hose and the truck.
June 10, 1931
Painting of the fire hall was commenced this week. Nels Larson has the contract.
August 1, 1931
The village fathers have commenced work on the finishing up of the upper story of the fire hall. The room has been rented by the school and will house the second division scholars, we understand.
November 7, 1931
Another staircase is to be built at the municipal hall by order of the fire marshall. He deemed it necessary owing to the fact that the upstairs portion of the building is at present housing one room of the local school.
From the Quesnel Cariboo Observer
This site was home to Quesnel's first Municipal Hall and Fire Hall, constructed shortly after incorporation in 1928. The Fire Bell, which announced the community's most devastating fire in 1916, now resides in LeBourdais Park.
Project funded in partnership with the City of Quesnel and Heritage Legacy Fund
A 1929 Town Hall joke:
Arriving in a small western town, an easterner was attempting to start up a friendly conversation with a native.
"Tell me," he said, "what is the status of the liquor supply around here?"
"Status," mumbled the native, "I dunno what you mean."
"I mean is it easy to obtain liquor, and is there much of it around here?"
"Wall, mister," said the rustic, "all I can tell you is that a little while back they turned off the water supply for a week, and nobody knew it till the town hall caught fire."