Worcester City Hall

42° 15′ 44″ N, 71° 48′ 6″ W - 455 Main St.

Brief History

The City Hall building of Worcester opened to the public in April 1898. It was built on the site of the original town hall, known as the Old South Meeting House. Right in front of the building lays Worcester’s smallest monument: a small, bronze star and plaque which marks the first public reading of the Declaration of Independence in New England. It was exactly on that spot where Isaiah Thomas publicly read the Declaration to the people of Worcester after intercepting a package that was meant to go to Boston. The staircase at the front leads to a balcony where, when it was first built, officials would address the people of the city. Since its construction, the building has seen almost 35 mayors and generations of Worcester residents.

Architecture

Designed by Robert Peabody and John Stearns, the Milford pink granite building was constructed by the Norcross brothers. It's in the architectural style, Italianate, which derives from the Renaissance Revival period. It was created to emulate an Italian palazzo, or palace, for which can be seen through the decorative paneling and scattered columns and fixtures. Some of the most recognizable parts of the building are the cupola (or tower), which was signature of Peabody and Stearns, a grand staircase which leads to a balcony, long, paired windows, and arched windows. The Renaissance Revival period focused on beauty and elegance through "harmonious flow and mathematical precision".

Sources:

https://college.holycross.edu/projects/worcester/institutions/city_hall.htm

https://www.discovercentralma.org/profile/worcester-city-hall-/

https://www.greatamericanstations.com/stations/worcester-ma-wor/#:~:text=The%20French%2DRenaissance%20styled%20Worcester,the%20Boston%20and%20Maine%20railroads.