National Register of Historic Places

City Hall

Chicopee, Hampden County, Massachusetts
Listed
July 29, 1974
Type
Building
Period
Industrial
Ref No.
74002052

About this property

City Hall is a historic city hall in Chicopee, Massachusetts. Located in the heart of Chicopee at Market Square, the building (built 1871) is in the Italianate style, with a rose window (usually associated with churches) and a 147-foot (45 m) tower modeled on that of the Palazzo Vecchio in Florence, Italy. It was designed by Charles Edward Parker. Chicopee purchased land from the Ames Manufacturing Company in 1869 as a site for its new city hall, and a committee of leading citizens was established to oversee its design and construction. The committee selected Charles E. Parker of Boston to design the new building, and construction took place in 1871. Parker's design was modelled on the Palazzo Vecchio, the historic town hall of Florence in Tuscany, Italy. The building was dedicated on December 21, 1871. By far the most prominent feature of the building is its 147-foot (45 m) tower, similar to its Florentine inspiration. It is topped by a golden eagle statue weighing 54 pounds (24 kg) and having a 7-foot (2.1 m) wingspan. The tower houses a bell, which was historically used on public occasions and to announce fire alarms. A clock mechanism was added in 1888, with faces on three of the tower's four sides. The civic building is unusual for having a rose window, usually associated with churches and finished in stained glass. The building continues to be used for city offices. The police station was originally located in the basement, but was moved in 1929 to a newly constructed annex before later being moved to the Chicopee Falls section of the city where it presently shares its own complex with the Chicopee Fire Department. The building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1974. As of 2020 the City Hall is undergoing a major external renovation project. National Register of Historic Places listings in Hampden County, Massachusetts

Location

Chicopee, Hampden County, Massachusetts
42.14882, -72.61406

Categories

POLITICS/GOVERNMENTARCHITECTURE
National Register nomination ›
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

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Nearby Historic Sites

Dwight Manufacturing Company Housing District
Listed
0.2 mi
Cabotville Common Historic District
Listed
0.3 mi
Polish National Home
Industrial
0.4 mi
Ames Manufacturing Company
Industrial
0.4 mi
Springfield Street Historic District
Listed
0.5 mi

Nearby Battles

Attack on Springfield
1675Colonial
3.5 mi

Questions about this property

When was City Hall listed on the National Register?

City Hall was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on July 29, 1974.

What type of historic resource is City Hall?

City Hall is classified as a building in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for City Hall?

The period of significance for City Hall is recorded as the industrial era.

Can I research the history near City Hall?

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