National Register of Historic Places

Peabody City Hall

Peabody, Essex County, Massachusetts
Listed
July 26, 1972
Type
Building
Period
Industrial
Ref No.
72000142

About this property

Peabody City Hall is the historic city hall of Peabody, Massachusetts. It is located at 24 Lowell Street, near Peabody Square. City Hall was built in 1883 as Town Hall, becoming City Hall when Peabody reincorporated as a city in 1916. The architect was Rufus Sargent of Newburyport. The building was built by Hamilton & Balcomb of Salem. The three-story Second Empire brick building was built in 1883. It follows a roughly square plan, with central projecting sections on each side, and a steeply pitched mansard-style roof with turret-like sections at the building corners. The front entry, facing Lowell Street, projects further than the others, with stairs leading to a recessed doorway sheltered by a portico supported by columns and pilasters. The building's red brick is set off by bands of granite trim, including that surrounding the arched portions of the building's windows. As built, the basement floor contained police offices and the first floor contained the government offices and a large hall. The second and third floors of the building was entirely taken up by an auditorium, used for performances and town meeting, later city council meetings. This space was decorated by Matthew L. Robinson of Boston. In 1946, due to structural weaknesses the auditorium was ordered closed by state officials, and city council moved into the large hall downstairs. In 1980 the building was restored, and city council moved back upstairs into the newly renamed Frank L. Wiggin Auditorium, and the police department moved to its own building, the former space being taken over by other government offices. In 2018 the auditorium was refurbished again, with hopes that it could be again used for performances. The building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1972, and included in the Peabody Civic Center Historic District in 1980. National Register of Historic Places listings in Essex County, Massachusetts

Location

24 Lowell St.
Peabody, Essex County, Massachusetts
42.52648, -70.92839

Categories

ENTERTAINMENT/RECREATIONPOLITICS/GOVERNMENTARCHITECTURESOCIAL HISTORYPERFORMING ARTS
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.

Unlimited access

Everything a full report reveals about Peabody City Hall

This page lists Peabody City Hall. A full Aubrey report for an address near it pulls together this listing alongside battlefield records, land patents, and every other historical record within a chosen radius:

Overview
An interactive map of the location with historic sites, battles and Native heritage plotted, and its full story era by era.
The Land
The historic sites and place names around the location, and how this land was settled and used.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.
LiDAR Terrain
Laser-scanned terrain that reveals earthworks and old features hidden in the landscape.
Conflict & War
The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.
The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.
Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.
Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
The people born, buried or genuinely tied to this exact place, with their stories.
Historical Maps
Historic maps of the location layered over how it looks today.
Finds & Access
Museum objects tied to the area, and the laws on searching, collecting and access here.
Literature
The old books, county histories and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Spotlight
A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.
Points of Interest
The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.
Timeline
The whole story of the location told era by era, from first peoples to the present day.
First month just $5.99, then $11.99 a month. Unlimited locations, cancel anytime.

Every location is different. Not every section appears for every place, only what the historical record actually holds turns up in a report.

Start your Peabody City Hall report
Or see a real report first

Nearby Historic Sites

Second O'Shea Building
Industrial
0.1 mi
Peabody Civic Center Historic District
Listed
0.1 mi
O'Shea Building
Industrial
0.1 mi
Peabody Central Fire Station
Industrial
0.1 mi
First Unitarian Church
Industrial
0.2 mi

Nearby Battles

Battle of Chelsea Creek (1775)
1775Revolutionary War
10.4 mi
Battle of Chelsea Creek
1775Revolutionary War
10.6 mi
Action at Hog Island
1775Revolutionary War
10.6 mi

Questions about this property

When was Peabody City Hall listed on the National Register?

Peabody City Hall was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on July 26, 1972.

What type of historic resource is Peabody City Hall?

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

What is the period of significance for Peabody City Hall?

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

Can I research the history near Peabody City Hall?

Yes. Aubrey Research reports search National Register listings, battlefield records, land patents, and other primary historical sources within any radius of a US address. A report for an address near Peabody City Hall will include this listing and all other historical records in the area.

More in Essex County

Historic places, battles, and census history across Essex County.

Explore EssexCounty ›

More historic places in Massachusetts

Browse all historic places in Massachusetts.

View Massachusettshistoric sites ›

Conflict records

Explore 19,000+ military engagements across American history.

Browse US conflicts ›

Massachusetts history

Colonial settlement, territorial period, and statehood narrative.

Massachusettshistory ›

Research the history near this site

An Aubrey US report for an address near Peabody City Hall will include this listing alongside battlefield records and other historical sources within your chosen radius.

Research your locationView a free sample report