Perth Amboy City Hall and Surveyor General's Office
About this property
City Hall in Perth Amboy, Middlesex County, New Jersey, United States, is a historic building built in the early 18th century. It is now the oldest public building in continuous use in the United States. The Perth Amboy City Hall and the Surveyor General's Office were added to the National Register of Historic Places on January 12, 1981, for their significance in architecture and politics/government. Construction of the building began in 1714 and was completed in 1717. It served as the local courthouse and jail, and was also used by the Provincial Assembly until 1775. The building has twice been rebuilt after being badly damaged by fire; first in 1731, rebuilt until 1745, and again around 1765 following an arson attack believed to have been committed by a former inmate who was imprisoned on debt charges. It was rebuilt a second time in 1767. City Hall has undergone three renovations, most recently in 2006, although some of the original structure remains. The building is now Victorian in style. The two-room Surveyor General's Office was built adjacent to City Hall in 1867, which was used by the General Board of Proprietors of the Eastern Division of New Jersey. On November 20, 1789, the State of New Jersey became the first to ratify the United States Bill of Rights. On March 31, 1870 Thomas Mundy Peterson (1824–1904) became the first African American to vote in an election under the just-enacted provisions of the 15th Amendment to the United States Constitution. On February 22, 1896, the terra cotta statue of George Washington by Nels N. Alling is dedicated in Market Square, next to the City Hall. It was a gift of the Scandinavians of Perth Amboy. List of the oldest courthouses in the United States National Register of Historic Places listings in Middlesex County, New Jersey "Perth Amboy City Hall and Surveyor General's Office". Landmark Hunter. "Perth Amboy City Hall and Surveyor General's Office". YourMapper.
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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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Questions about this property
When was Perth Amboy City Hall and Surveyor General's Office listed on the National Register?
Perth Amboy City Hall and Surveyor General's Office was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on January 21, 1981.
What type of historic resource is Perth Amboy City Hall and Surveyor General's Office?
Perth Amboy City Hall and Surveyor General's Office is classified as a building in the National Register of Historic Places.
What is the period of significance for Perth Amboy City Hall and Surveyor General's Office?
The period of significance for Perth Amboy City Hall and Surveyor General's Office is recorded as the industrial era.
Can I research the history near Perth Amboy City Hall and Surveyor General's Office?
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 Perth Amboy City Hall and Surveyor General's Office will include this listing and all other historical records in the area.
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