Built 1871 NRHP Reference # 74002052 Opened 1871 Architect Charles Edward Parker | Architectural style Romanesque Added to NRHP July 30, 1974 Phone +1 413-594-1400 | |
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Location Chicopee, Massachusetts Address 17 Springfield St # 100, Chicopee, MA 01013, USA Hours Closed today SundayClosedMonday9AM–5PMTuesday9AM–5PMWednesday9AM–5PMThursday9AM–5PMFriday9AM–5PMSaturdayClosed Similar Szot Park, Evangelical Baptist Church, Ames Manufacturing Company, Chicopee Memorial State Park, Wellfleet Drive‑In Theater | ||
City Hall is a historic city hall in Chicopee, Massachusetts. Located in the heart of Chicopee at Market Square, the building (built 1871) is a strongly Italianate structure, with a 147-foot (45 m) tower modeled on that of the Palazzo Vecchio in Florence, Italy. It was designed by Charles Edward Parker.
History and architecture
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 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, which echoes that of its Florentine inspiration, and is topped by a golden eagle statue weighing 54 pounds (24 kg) and sporting 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 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. The building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1974.