National Register of Historic Places

Woonsocket City Hall

Woonsocket, Providence County, Rhode Island
Listed
April 30, 1974
Type
Building
Period
Industrial
Ref No.
74000007

About this property

The Woonsocket City Hall, (also known as the Harris Institute) is located in Woonsocket, Rhode Island. Edward Harris, a leading Woonsocket industrialist, constructed the earliest part of the building in 1856, and it was known as the Harris Block, with stores on the first floor, and an auditorium hall seating 1,100 on the third floor. This brick structure has elements of Italianate styling, including round-arch windows and a heavily dentilled cornice. A major Richardsonian Romanesque addition, called the Granite Block, was made to the north of this structure in 1891. In 1902 the city purchased the building for use as city hall. The builders of the original building were Albert B. Cole of Woonsocket and a Mr. Slade of Providence, probably Obadiah Slade, carpenter. The 1891 addition was built by Cutting & Bishop of Worcester. The architect of neither section is known. The building served as the first public library in Rhode Island, housed on the second floor, which is now the Woonsocket Harris Public Library. In March 1860 Abraham Lincoln spoke to a packed crowd in Harris Hall, which at the time contained one of the largest assembly rooms in the state.

Location

169 Main St.
Woonsocket, Providence County, Rhode Island
42.00242, -71.51412

Categories

EDUCATIONPOLITICS/GOVERNMENTARCHITECTURESOCIAL HISTORY
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

Main Street Historic District
Listed
0 mi
Allen Street Historic District
Listed
0.1 mi
Harris Warehouse
Early Republic
0.1 mi
Woonsocket Company Mill Complex (Additional Documentation)
Industrial
0.1 mi
Honan's Block and 112-114 Main Street
Industrial
0.1 mi

Nearby Battles

Battle of Nipsachuck 1675
1675Colonial
2 mi
Nipsachuck Swamp Fight
1676Colonial
3.9 mi
Battle of Nipsachuck Swamp
1676Colonial
5.6 mi

Questions about this property

When was Woonsocket City Hall listed on the National Register?

Woonsocket City Hall was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on April 30, 1974.

What type of historic resource is Woonsocket City Hall?

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

What is the period of significance for Woonsocket City Hall?

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

Can I research the history near Woonsocket City Hall?

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