Photo of the Month

October, 2001

Bloomsburg, Town Hall

Bloomsburg Town Council decided in 1889 that it should build a Town Hall. It purchased a lot from Sarah Petriken and Anna D. Billmeyer for $1,140 on November 7, 1889, where Lightstreet Road intersected with Second Street (also known as Main Street) at the base of College Hill. Council awarded the contract to David Hensigner for building the structure; a three-storied brick building costing $15,000 when finished. Today, the building, 111 years old, is still in use as the Town Hall.

As part of the dedication festivities held on September 9, 1890, a Thursday afternoon, many of the businesses and factories closed so their employees could witness the parade beginning at Market Square to the new Town Hall. A newspaper account gave the following description: "The parade formed on Market Square and South Market Street under the chief Marshalship of Thomas E. Geddes and mounted aids, C. S. Forwald, C. P. Sloan, T. C. Harter and Winthrop Bryfogle. The town police held the right of the line followed by the Bloomsburg Band, Ent Post G. A. R., Sons of Veterans, P. O. S. of A., Gilmore Band, Friendship Fire Co., Rescue Hook and Ladder Co., Winona Fire Co. carriages containing the town officials, members of the school board and speakers."

Erected on the east side of the Town Hall there was a platform where the dedication ceremonies included eleven speeches interspersed with vocal and instrumental music. The concluding event was a ball in the evening.

On the right side of the building, there is a partial view of the large doors to the area where Friendship Fire Company housed its fire apparatus.