Harry Lemen, photographer

Description

Construction was begun in 1879 and the intended use of the building was as a "school house for the colored pupils." In short order the patrons were unhappy with the location of the school. "The noise and bustle of business localities" seemed to pose a problem. The school trustees soon selected a site on the west side of Broadway north of the alley between Fourth and Fifth Street for a school. The plans for the new school were the same as the plans used for the West Street site. The City Hall which had been at the southeast corner of Mulberry and Second soon moved to the West Street building and remained there for over a century. The first City Council meeting was held in the new City Hall building on March 19, 1880. The Madison Courier of September 26, 1879 states that a city building was to be erected on West Street on the site of the colored school which was, in turn, being moved to Broadway. J. T. Brashear was mayor at that time. In 1925 the building received a new facade under the administration of Mayor Edward Eckert. The building's red brick front was donated by A. H. Gibson. In 1993 the City Hall was moved to the corner of West and Main Streets and the old building was sold. It is now offices for a real estate business.

Record Contributed By

Madison-Jefferson County Public Library

Record Harvested From

Indiana Memory