subject: Town Hall
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Wakefield Town Hall, Main Street at Water Street, 1893 [picture] / Wakefield Municipal Gas&Light Department.
description- – Photo courtesy of Wakefield Historical Society.
- – 1 picture :
- – "Cyrus Wakefield, for whom the Town is named, generously donated land and money to build a Town Hall and a fitting monument to South Reading soldiers. Because of his generosity and his service to the community, the Town changed its name from South Reading to Wakefield on July 4th, 1868. The Town Hall was completed and deeded to the Town on February 22, 1871. It was described in 1885 as 'ranking first in beauty, as well as in seating and stage accommodations. The seating capacity is 1164 divided as follows: floor 704, and galleries, 460. Memorial Hall, situated in the northeast corner of the same building, on the first floor, is handsomely and appropriately furnished. This hall contains marble tablets, encased in a black walnut finish, on which are inscribed the names of those honored soldiers of Wakefield who died victims of the Great Rebellion.' As pictured in 1893, the Town Hall was adorned with flags and buntings on the 25th anniversary of the changing of the Town's name, as were most public buildings. The Town Hall was demolished in 1958 after a fire occurred in December, 1950." -- Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Onofrio.
- – 2008-06-24T18:36:37Z
- – 2008-06-24T18:36:37Z
- – 2001.
- – 2001.
- – Wakefield Municipal Gas&Light Department calendar 2001 ; Front cover.
- – Wakefield (Mass.) History Pictorial works.
Stage of the Wakefield Town Hall, circa 1900 [picture] / Wakefield Municipal Gas&Light Department.
description- – Photo courtesy of Wakefield Historical Society.
- – 1 picture :
- – "Wakefield's Town Hall (pictured decorated for a Masonic party) was located at the corner of Main Street and Water Street. The gift of the land and money for the building was presented to the Town in 1868 by Cyrus and Eliza A. Wakefield. The deed for the land and building read 'a building designed for a Town House and for municipal purposes; but also with the desire and intent that such portions thereof as are adapted thereto, shall be, from time to time, devoted to use for patriotic, charitable, scientific, military, literary, aesthetic, educational, moral and religious purposes, and for meetings, lectures and addresses promotive thereof - as a free and unrestricted gift to the town.' Two portraits were hung at the left and right of the stage; one of George Washington and one of Cyrus Wakefield. The Washington portrait was presented in 1872 as a gift to express the townspeople's gratitude to Cyrus Wakefield for his generosity. The portrait, painted by South Reading native Thomas Badger, was a copy of an original painted by Gilbert Stuart in 1796 which was said to have been in the Carlton House in London. After raising the necessary funds, the townspeople also commissioned a portrait of Cyrus Wakefield which was completed in 1783 by Thomas H. Badger, son of Thomas. The paintings were restored and repaired in 1929. A fire in the Town Hall occurred on December 13, 1950. The building was razed on October 20, 1958." -- Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Onofrio.
- – 2008-06-24T18:36:22Z
- – 2008-06-24T18:36:22Z
- – 1995.
- – 1995.
- – Wakefield Municipal Gas&Light Department calendar 1995 ; October.
- – Wakefield (Mass.) History Pictorial works.
Cyrus Wakefield [picture] / Wakefield Municipal Gas&Light Department.
description- – Photos courtesy of the Payro family, Louis Picardi, and the Wakefield Historical Society.
- – 2 pictures :
- – "Although not born on South Reading soil, Cyrus Wakefield has become the unofficial 'father' of the town which eventually bore his name. Born in Roxbury, New Hampshire on February 14, 1811, he was descended from prominent families of the First Parish in Old Reading. His great-grandfather, Thomas Wakefield, was the son of Thomas Wakefield who came to Reading in 1730. An eager young man, Cyrus Wakefield gained his knowledge from the common school in Roxbury, New Hampshire, which was held three months each year. At the age of 15, he traveled to Boston and worked as a clerk in a grocery store for three years. He worked as a clerk for several other Boston stores and took advantage of the opportunities around him. He attended evening school, lectures, and private study and at the age of 23 he established the firm of Foster and Wakefield on Commercial Street in Boston. Two years later, in 1836, he formed a partnership with his brother, Wakefield and Company, which lasted until 1844. It was at this time that he recognized the potential in rattan, generally discarded as refuse. The rattan was accidentally purchased and sold at a profit to a few chair makers who, by hand, made the outside of the cane into seating chairs. The business grew rapidly and led to the dissolution of the grocery business and the continuation of his rattan business in a Boston office. Mr. Wakefield soon found that without machinery, the cost for preparing the rattan was too great. Utilizing a brother-in-law in China, he sent a sample of the cane most in demand and soon his Canton Split Rattan was known throughout the world. The supply soon became sporadic, yet the demand increased and in 1856 he resolved to begin the manufacture of cane in the United States using the whole of the rattan - the cane, the pith, and the shavings. He secured two hand machines and later moved to South Reading in 1856. Eventually water replaced hand power and later steam was added as the business increased. The business soon outgrew building after building until at its height, the rattan factory covered an area of ten acres of flooring and employed over 1000 men and women. In 1851, Cyrus Wakefield purchased his homestead in South Reading (at the present site of the Atwell School) and in 1861 erected a magnificent home in place of the mansion that once stood there. He subsequently purchased all the available real estate and land in the surrounding area, often draining and filling the land for suitable building. In 1867 when the townspeople were considering the erection of a monument to the memory of the soldiers who died in the War of the Rebellion, Mr. Wakefield gave the town a cash contribution of $30,000 and a building lot for a soldiers memorial hall. In accepting the offer, the townspeople decided to honor Mr. Wakefield by changing its name to 'Wakefield.' The subsequent building was the old Town Hall (located at the corner of Main and Water Streets) which was officially dedicated on February 22, 1871. Throughout his 22 years as a resident of the town, Cyrus Wakefield was instrumental in the development of Wakefield, specifically in the prosperity of his business and in education. He was not a town officer, but he was actively involved in the community. He was involved in the incorporation of the Wakefield Savings Bank, the Wakefield Real Estate and Building Association, the Quannapowitt Water Company, the National Bank of South Reading, the Citizens' Gas Light Company, the South Reading Ice Company and the Boston&Maine Foundry Company. Cyrus Wakefield died suddenly on October 26, 1873 at the age of 62. Having no children, he left his holdings to his nephew Cyrus Wakefield, 2nd who continued the selfless dedication to the town and her people." -- Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Onofrio.
- – Captions: 1. Cyrus Wakefield in a portrait painted in 1873 by Thomas H. Badger. -- 2. The Wakefield Town Hall donated by Cyrus Wakefield as it looked in 1929.
- – 2008-06-24T18:36:23Z
- – 2008-06-24T18:36:23Z
- – 1989.
- – 1989.
- – 2004
- – Wakefield Municipal Gas&Light Department calendar 1989 ; February.
- – Wakefield (Mass.) History Pictorial works.
Wakefield Town Hall at 1 Lafayette Street, Wakefield, Mass. [picture]
description- – Photos show views of Wakefield's Town Hall, housing the town's municipal offices, located at 1 Lafayette Street on the west side of the Upper Common at the corner of Common Street. Built around 1871, the brick Mansard/Italianate style building has been substantially altered from its original state. The structure was originally built as a high school, and had a clapboard exterior, with a mansard roof, tower, and elaborate exterior decoration. It was designed by architect John Stevens, who also designed the 1868 Town Hall and the Cyrus Wakefield Estate, both since demolished. He also designed the home at 21 Chestnut Street, which is still extant. The 1871 building was used as a high school until 1923. It was converted to town offices in 1938, and the building was considerably altered at this time: the tower was removed, the mansard roof was replaced with a gable, and much of the exterior ornament was removed. The main entrance, previously on Common Street, was shifted to Lafayette Street. Less extensive renovations, including handicapped accessibility, were completed around the turn of the 21st century. Photos taken at 2:00 p.m. on Wednesday, May 7, 2008.
- – Detailed entry in building survey, "The cultural resources of Wakefield", pD125.
- – The building is part of the Common Historic District on the National Register of Historic Places.
- – 9 photographs :
- – 2008-06-24T17:31:27Z
- – 2008-06-24T17:31:27Z
- – 2007.
- – 2007.
- – Wakefield (Mass.) Pictorial works.
- – Massachusetts Wakefield
Wakefield Town Hall, 1927 [picture] / Wakefield Municipal Gas&Light Department.
description- – Photo courtesy of Bourdon Studios.
- – 1 picture :
- – "In 1867, Cyrus Wakefield presented a donation of $30,000 and a building lot to the town to build a soldiers memorial hall. As a result, the Wakefield Town Hall was built at the corner of Main and Water Streets and was officially dedicated on February 22, 1871. The Town Hall was destroyed by fire and was subsequently razed in 1958." -- Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Onofrio.
- – 2007-12-20T21:41:51Z
- – 2007-12-20T21:41:51Z
- – 1992.
- – 1992.
- – Wakefield Municipal Gas&Light Department calendar 1992 ; Front cover.
- – Wakefield (Mass.) History Pictorial works.
- – multiple URL identifiers
Town Hall, circa 1947 [picture] / Wakefield Municipal Gas&Light Department.
description- – Photo courtesy of Alfred Mellett.
- – 1 picture :
- – "The Wakefield Town Hall, dedicated on February 22, 1871, was the result of a community's desire to honor its citizens who answered the call to arms during the Civil War. Four years earlier, in 1867, a Soldiers Monument Association was formed to build a suitable monument or hall for that purpose. In January, 1868, the association reported to Town Meeting that Cyrus Wakefield had offered to donate a parcel of land, known as the Noah Smith lot, on Main Street at Water Street for the new Town Hall which would house an appropriate soldiers' memorial. In addition, he also pledged a sum of $30,000 or more, to build the structure which would also have a lecture hall for town meetings, and a room for the town's library. Solon Richardson also pledged $1,000 for furnishings. As a result of Cyrus Wakefield's generosity, the Town of South Reading became the Town of Wakefield in 1868. The Town Hall remained a vital part of Wakefield until a fire occurred on December 13, 1950. Some offices located in the structure were moved to the present day Town Hall, then the Lafayette Building, where they were to be temporarily located. Committees, Town Meeting voters, and Town officials discussed the renovation, as well as the razing of the structure which was still intact. Town Meeting accepted the recommendation to raze the Town Hall in March, 1958. At the same time, the Parking Committee recommended the site for use as a parking lot. The stately Town Hall was razed on October 20, 1958." -- Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Onofrio.
- – 2007-12-20T21:41:45Z
- – 2007-12-20T21:41:45Z
- – 1999.
- – 1999.
- – Wakefield Municipal Gas&Light Department calendar 1999 ; February.
- – Wakefield (Mass.) History Pictorial works.
- – multiple URL identifiers
Town office building, Reading Mass. [picture].
description- – Note on face of postcard reads "Published by M.F. Charles".
- – 1 postcard :
- – 2007-11-05T20:54:44Z
- – 2007-11-05T20:54:44Z
- – [n.d.]
- – [n.d.]
- – Reading (Mass.) History Pictorial works.
Town office building and public library, Reading Mass. [picture]
description- – Note on postcard face reads "Published by M.F. Charles."
- – 1 postcard :
- – 2007-11-05T20:54:47Z
- – 2007-11-05T20:54:47Z
- – [n.d.]
- – [n.d.]
- – Reading (Mass.) History Pictorial works.
- – Massachusetts Reading
Town office building, Reading Mass. [picture]
description- – 1 postcard :
- – 2007-11-05T20:54:49Z
- – 2007-11-05T20:54:49Z
- – [n.d.]
- – [n.d.]
- – Reading (Mass.) History Pictorial works.
Town Hall and engine house, Reading Mass [picture]
description- – Card is undated but bears a postmark of 1910.
- – 1 postcard :
- – 2007-11-05T20:54:37Z
- – 2007-11-05T20:54:37Z
- – [1910]
- – [1910]
- – : ,
- – Reading (Mass.) History Pictorial works.
- – Massachusetts Reading
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