Old City Hall (1934)
Old City Hall (2015)
Site Name: Old City Hall
Date of Construction: 1894
Reason for Construction: Laws needed to be made and everyone preferred to be indoors (all of those papers and no paperweights).
Site History:
The Old City Hall site/building is run by the National Park Service and can actually be seen very well from the observation deck of the new one. The old city hall's architecture is in a gothic style which is a testament to the effort put into the building of it. From its completed eight year construction in 1894 until the late 1970s this building was a reminder of where all the important decisions (or most of them) were made.
This enormous building occupies a full downtown Richmond block that overlooks capital square and can be seen from almost anywhere if out in the open. In the 1970s-80s the new City Hall building was constructed, leaving the old one in tact to look back on Richmond history and to remind its people of the Democracy of Virginia.
It wasn’t a cheap project. According to the National Park Service, “In the end, the project cost an astounding $1.3 million dollars. This was a colossal expenditure for a public building in that era, greatly exceeding the original $300,000 estimate”. The luxury of the building, at that time was designed to show the prosperity of the state.
The Old City Hall site/building is run by the National Park Service and can actually be seen very well from the observation deck of the new one. The old city hall's architecture is in a gothic style which is a testament to the effort put into the building of it. From its completed eight year construction in 1894 until the late 1970s this building was a reminder of where all the important decisions (or most of them) were made.
This enormous building occupies a full downtown Richmond block that overlooks capital square and can be seen from almost anywhere if out in the open. In the 1970s-80s the new City Hall building was constructed, leaving the old one in tact to look back on Richmond history and to remind its people of the Democracy of Virginia.
It wasn’t a cheap project. According to the National Park Service, “In the end, the project cost an astounding $1.3 million dollars. This was a colossal expenditure for a public building in that era, greatly exceeding the original $300,000 estimate”. The luxury of the building, at that time was designed to show the prosperity of the state.
What Has Changed:
As years progress, there began and increasing need for a new City Hall. The Old City Hall, which was built by Elijah E. Myer, was occupied by government officials, mayor, city council, and school administration, 18 departments and agencies. It hired approximately 800 employees. As stated in the previous paragraph, major bills were passed in this building. The building served the community for about 27 years, but in the mid-1990s, the city discovered that the building started to deteriorate and thus the need for a new one. These changes in buildings such as City Hall represents the modernization of the US.
The old drapes were not suited for the high class, high societal and elite group of people intended to fellowship there. Around the building, more paved roads and other miscellaneous buildings emerged. Also, you begin to observe the use of electricity in the streets. The designs of the new building is also significant as it show change and advancement in architecture. It transitions from a castle arrangement, to a more of official look for the shapers of the state. The old building was constructed in 1894. Fathers had to go to work and industrial and architectural labor was pursued more than farm labor.
As years progress, there began and increasing need for a new City Hall. The Old City Hall, which was built by Elijah E. Myer, was occupied by government officials, mayor, city council, and school administration, 18 departments and agencies. It hired approximately 800 employees. As stated in the previous paragraph, major bills were passed in this building. The building served the community for about 27 years, but in the mid-1990s, the city discovered that the building started to deteriorate and thus the need for a new one. These changes in buildings such as City Hall represents the modernization of the US.
The old drapes were not suited for the high class, high societal and elite group of people intended to fellowship there. Around the building, more paved roads and other miscellaneous buildings emerged. Also, you begin to observe the use of electricity in the streets. The designs of the new building is also significant as it show change and advancement in architecture. It transitions from a castle arrangement, to a more of official look for the shapers of the state. The old building was constructed in 1894. Fathers had to go to work and industrial and architectural labor was pursued more than farm labor.
Reflection:
The excessive amount of money poured into the construction of the Old City hall portrays the state’s economy at that time period. The Magnitude of the building still stands and surpasses the beauty of some of the current modern building found amongst it. After 124 years, since it initial construction the site and its historical significance, in hosting the past lawmakers, the sturdiness is apparent to today’s generation. This building is an essential part of Downtown Richmond. It is where laws were made and important city and state-wide policies were issued. Richmond would not be the same without it and that hugs sun-blocking building. The new building is pretty cool, but definitely wouldn’t attract the same type of historical or architectural buffs.
Sources:
Elizabeth, Kann Kambourian. “Old City Hall from New City Hall” Richmond VA accessed
February 2015. http://www.usgwarchives.net/va/photo/cityofrichmond/pctyrich.htm, 1992
John, G. Albers. “Historic America Building Survay National service park. U.S. Department of
the interior”. Washington D.C. Written Historical and descriptive data publishing, August
31, 1981. accessed February 2015. http://lcweb2.loc.gov/master/pnp/habshaer/va/va1200/va1296/data/va1296data.pdf
National Park Service. "Old City Hall." National Park Service. US Department of
the Interior, n.d. Web. February 2015.
“Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division.” Washington, D.C. USA accessed Feb.
2015. http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/pp.print
Mini-Historians: Oge and Aamina
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