Area 1.8 acres (0.73 ha) NRHP Reference # 77001387 Phone +1 203-576-1311 | Built 1854 Opened 1854 | |
Location 202 State Street, Bridgeport, Connecticut Architectural style Classical Revival, Greek Revival Part of Bridgeport Downtown South Historic District (#87001402) Address 45 Lyon Terrace, Bridgeport, CT 06604, USA Hours Open today · 9AM–5PMFriday9AM–5PMSaturdayClosedSundayClosedMonday9AM–5PMTuesday9AM–5PMWednesday9AM–5PMThursday9AM–5PM Architects Alexander Jackson Davis, Joseph W. Northrop Similar Seaside Park, Klein Memorial Auditorium, Barnum Museum, Beardsley Zoo, Housatonic Museum of Art | ||
The old Bridgeport City Hall is located in Bridgeport, Connecticut. The building was built in 1854 as both the City Hall and the Fairfield County Courthouse and was added to the National Register of Historic Places on September 19, 1977. The old city hall was renamed McLevy Hall after Bridgeport mayor, Jasper McLevy in 1966.
Contents
Kevin takes a tour of bridgeport city hall
City Hall and Courthouse
Locating the Fairfield County Courthouse in Bridgeport was the result of much debate. Fairfield, Connecticut had been the site of the first county seat and courthouse in Fairfield County but by the mid-19th century, not only was the old courthouse insufficient for the county's needs, but the growth of Bridgeport and Norwalk made them more logical choices for county seat and a new courthouse. Bridgeport's offer to pay for the building of a courthouse and jail decided the matter. Bridgeport City Hall was constructed in 1853-54 between State and Bank Streets and cost $75,000. Alexander Jackson Davis designed it in the Greek Revival style to resemble a temple. The building, opened in 1855, had a large ground floor for use as City Hall, two floors for county government and court use and an auditorium, Washington Hall, for public gatherings. In 1886, when Bridgeport City Hall proved insufficient for both the growing needs of city and county, the Fairfield County Courthouse was built nearby.
Lincoln speech
On Saturday, March 10, 1860, Abraham Lincoln spoke in Washington Hall at Bridgeport City Hall. Not only was the largest room in the city packed, but a crowd formed outside as well. Lincoln received a standing ovation before taking the 9:07 p.m. train that night back to Manhattan. A plaque marks the site where Lincoln spoke.