1874-1879
RG 211
During the period from 1854 to 1857 the city purchased several parcels of land near the corner of Dorrance and Washington streets in the Downtown for the purpose of constructing a new City Hall. The purchase of the assembled lots--now called the "City Hall Lot"--did little to end a long simmering controversy over a proper building site for the proposed government center. With plans for a City Hall stalled due to political bickering, in 1864 the site was leased to C.N. Harrington who constructed a two-story wood frame theater there. During the ensuing decade the "City Hall" playhouse hosted concerts, historical productions featuring the likes of Buffalo Bill, light opera, and lectures by such celebrities as Charles Dickens and Charles Sumner.
By 1874, Mayor Thomas Doyle, still unhappy with the location, vetoed the building plan once again, but that October, the City Council over-rode his veto 30 to 8. A few short days after the vote--and more than two decades after securing the property--ground was finally broken. On April 24th the following year the cornerstone was set in place.
The building, designed by Samuel J. F. Thayer, was one of twenty-one sets of drawings submitted to the city in a design competition. Drawings of the four finalists were placed on display and to avoid any appearance of favoritism in selecting the winning design, all identification was removed and names such as "Fait," "Maltese Cross," and "Blue Wafer" were assigned to the drawings. Thayer's "Blue Wafer" plan was chosen, and he was awarded the $1,000 first prize. The Boston native described his design as "renaissance, of the character widely adopted for civic buildings in the most advanced cities of the world." Thayer's plan included a massive tower atop the dome, but the effects of an economic recession nixed the plans. The council had originally budgeted approximately $635,000 for the building, however, cost overruns brought the eventual total to $1.1 million.
The impressive five-story, block long fireproof building was dedicated with great fanfare on November 14, 1878. The old city hall at Market Square was leased to the Board of Trade (later the Chamber of Commerce) who occupied it until 1938 when it was condemned as unsafe, partly due to a devastating hurricane that flooded most of the city. Rebuilt by the WPA, the building was gifted to the Rhode Island School of Design in May 1948 and is currently used for offices.
The Thayer designed City Hall stretches 133 feet along the Dorrance and Eddy Street sides and 160 feet on the Washington and Fulton Street sides. It is located over what was once part of the Cove Tidal Water basin requiring an artificial foundation resting on 3,128 piles driven into hardpan at various depths. Resting on the piles are large blocks of granite which provide a secure anchor for the building. The construction is of iron and brick, faced with Westerly granite on the Dorrance and Washington Street sides and New Hampshire granite on the other two sides. The sidewalks are also of granite blocks, 5 to 6 feet wide and 18 to 20 feet long.
Today Providence City Hall retains it prominence as the seat of municipal government and as one of the most outstanding examples of our city's rich architectural heritage. For a more detailed history of City Hall see the Providence City Archives web site.
Scope and Content
The loose manuscript records covering the period from 1874 to 1879 are contained in seven boxes and include plans, specifications and contracts as well as freight receipts, City Hall Commissioners incoming correspondence and Building Overseer records. There are also 6 bound volumes containing expense ledgers, outgoing correspondence, commissioner's minute books, and records of the Committee on City Hall Furniture.
Size: 2.6 linear feet.
Record Group 211
City Hall Building Plans, Specifications & Contracts: 1874 - 1879
Container Listing
| Box # | Folder # | Title | Date |
| AN20246 | |||
| 1 | 1 | B. H. Gladding - Excavation | Oct. 19, 1874 |
| 2 | Boynton Bros. - Piling & Foundation | Oct. 29, 1874 | |
| 3 | Summer P. Brown - Overseer of Building of City Hall | Nov. 4, 1874 | |
| 4 | Hopkins & Pomroy - Bricks, Lime, Cement | Dec. 13, 1874 | |
| 5 | Charles F. Eddy - Secretary and Clerk of the Commission | Jan. 12, 1875 | |
| 6 | Harrison G. Macomber - Set, Cut Granite and Lay Bricks | Jan. 18, 1875 | |
| 7 | Samuel J. F. Thayer - Architect | Jan. 19, 1875 | |
| 8 | James A. Batterson - Lease | Jan. 22, 1875 | |
| 9 | Charles A. Parker - Iron Work on Roof | Mar. 3, 1875 | |
| 10 | Charles E. Kershaw - Furnish Vaults & Locks | Apr. 14, 1875 | |
| 11 | Architectural Iron Work - Wrought Iron Works | Nov. 11, 1875 | |
| 12 | Architectural Iron Works - Smoke Pipes | June 6, 1876 | |
| 13 | Waumbeck Lumber Co. - Lumber | Oct. 12, 1876 | |
| 14 | Galland Bash & Co. - Installing Elevator | Nov. 1, 1876 | |
| 15 | Herbert R. Horton - Plaster | Nov. 13, 1876 | |
| 16 | Portland Cement Stone Co. - Basement Floor | Dec. 14, 1876 | |
|
|
|||
| 2 | 1 | Davidson & Mars - Heating Apparatus | Jan. 4, 1877 |
| 2 | Joseph G. Haley - Partition | Feb. 24, 1877 | |
| 3 | Cape Ann Granite Co. - Granite | May 17, 1877 | |
| 4 | A. R. Whitney - Wire Lathing | May 23, 1877 | |
| 5 | P & J Tierney - Plumbing | June 13, 1877 | |
| 6 | A. R. Whitney - Erect Ceiling, Gallery Floor etc. in Council Chamber | June 25, 1877 | |
| 7 | John Mack - Plastering and Cement Work | July 6, 1877 | |
| 8 | Morton & Chesley - Carpentry Work | July 17, 1877 | |
| 9 | O. C. Williams - Bells, Tubes and Electric Work | Aug. 13, 1877 | |
| 10 | George W. F. Lewis - Recover Marble and Tile Floors | Oct. 1, 1877 | |
| 11 | A. A. Whitney - Area Coverings in Sidewalks | Oct. 19, 1877 | |
| 12 | J. B. & J. M. Cornell - Erecting Dome | Oct. 26, 1877 | |
| 13 | John R. Shirley - Lantern Post | Dec. 8, 1877 | |
|
|
|||
| 3 | 1 | A. Wentworth, Roberts & Co. - Marble Work | Jan. 28, 1878 |
| 2 | G. W. & F. Smith - Window Frames | Feb. 13, 1878 | |
| 3 | Whitteer Machine Co. - Sidewalk | Mar. 25, 1878 | |
| 4 | John Chadwick - Laying Floors | June 26, 1878 | |
| 5 | Specifications for Iron Work and Roof | Nov. 11, 1875 | |
| 6 | Specifications for Masons Work and Setting the Cut Granite Work | No Date | |
| 7 | Specifications of Plastering Stucco and Cement Work | No Date | |
| 8 | Specifications of Carpentry and Contingent Work | No Date | |
| 9 | City Hall Commissioners - Legal Papers | Sep. 1876 - June 1878 | |
|
|
|||
| 4 | 1 | City Hall Commissioners - Incoming Correspondence | Feb. 18 - Mar. 29, 1878 |
| 2 | City Hall Commissioners - Incoming Correspondence | Apr. 2 - May 14, 1878 | |
| 3 | City Hall Commissioners - Incoming Correspondence | May 17 - June 27, 1878 | |
| 4 | City Hall Commissioners - Incoming Correspondence | July 1 - Aug. 31, 1878 | |
| 5 | City Hall Commissioners - Incoming Correspondence | Sept. 4 - Dec. 16, 1878 | |
| 6 | City Hall Commissioners - Incoming Correspondence | Jan. 7 - Apr. 22, 1879 | |
| 7 | City Hall Commissioners - Incoming Correspondence - Telegraphs Received | Aug. 7, 1876 - Mar. 31, 1879 | |
|
|
|||
| AN20243 | |||
| 5 | 1 | Plans, Specifications and Contracts - City Hall Building - B. H. Gladding - Excavation | Oct. 19, 1874 |
| 2 | Plans, Specifications and Contracts - City Hall Building - Boynton Brothers - Piling and Foundation | Oct. 26, 1874 | |
| 3 | Plans, Specifications and Contracts - City Hall Building - Sumner P. Brown - Overseer of Building of City Hall | Nov. 4, 1874 | |
| 4 | Plans, Specifications and Contracts - City Hall Building - Hopkins & Pomroy - Bricks, Lime and Cement | Dec. 13, 1874 | |
| 5 | Plans, Specifications and Contracts - City Hall Building - Charles F. Eddy - Secretary and Clerk of Commission on City Hall | Jan. 12, 1875 | |
| 6 | Plans, Specifications and Contracts - City Hall Building - Harrison G. Macomber - Set Cut Granite and Lay Bricks | Jan. 18, 1875 | |
| 7 | Plans, Specifications and Contracts - City Hall Building - Samuel J. F. Thayer - Architect | Jan. 19, 1875 | |
| 8 | Plans, Specifications and Contracts - City Hall Building - James A. Batterson - Lease | Jan. 22, 1875 | |
| 9 | Plans, Specifications and Contracts - City Hall Building - Charles H. Parker - Iron Work on Roof | Mar. 3, 1875 | |
| 10 | Plans, Specifications and Contracts - City Hall Building - Charles E. Kershaw - Furnish Vaults and Locks | Apr. 14, 1875 | |
| 11 | Plans, Specifications and Contracts - City Hall Building - Architectural Iron Works - Wrought Iron Work | Nov. 11, 1875 | |
| 12 | Plans, Specifications and Contracts - City Hall Building - Architectural Iron Works - Smoke Pipes | Jun. 6, 187? | |
| 13 | Plans, Specifications and Contracts - City Hall Building - Waumbeck Lumber Company - Lumber | Oct. 12, 1876 | |
| 14 | Plans, Specifications and Contracts - City Hall Building - Galland Bash & Company - Installing Elevator | Nov. 1, 1876 | |
| 15 | Plans, Specifications and Contracts - City Hall Building - Herbert R. Horton - Plaster | Nov. 13, 1876 | |
| 16 | Plans, Specifications and Contracts - City Hall Building - Portland Cement Stone Company - Basement Floor | Dec. 14, 1876 | |
|
|
|||
| 6 | 1 | Plans, Specifications and Contracts - City Hall Building - Davidson & Mars - Heating Apparatus | Jan. 4, 1877 |
| 2 | Plans, Specifications and Contracts - City Hall Building - Joseph G. Haley - Partition | Feb. 24, 1877 | |
| 3 | Plans, Specifications and Contracts - City Hall Building - Cape Ann Granite Company - Granite | May 19, 1877 | |
| 4 | Plans, Specifications and Contracts - City Hall Building - A. R. Whitney - Wire Lathing | May 23, 1877 | |
| 5 | Plans, Specifications and Contracts - City Hall Building - P & J. Teirney - Plumbing | June 13, 1877 | |
| 6 | Plans, Specifications and Contracts - City Hall Building - A. R. Whitney - Erect Ceiling, Gallery, Floor, etc. - Council Chambers | June 25, 1877 | |
| 7 | Plans, Specifications and Contracts - City Hall Building - John Mack - Plastering and Cement Work | July 6, 1877 | |
| 8 | Plans, Specifications and Contracts - City Hall Building - Morton & Cheley - Carpentry Work | July 17, 1877 | |
| 9 | Plans, Specifications and Contracts - City Hall Building - O. C. Williams - Bells, Tubes and Electric Work | Aug. 13, 1877 | |
| 10 | Plans, Specifications and Contracts - City Hall Building - George W. F. Lewis - Recover Marble and Tile Floors | Oct. 1, 1877 | |
| 11 | Plans, Specifications and Contracts - City Hall Building - A. A. Whitney - Area Coverings in Sidewalks | Oct. 19, 1877 | |
| 12 | Plans, Specifications and Contracts - City Hall Building - J. B. & J. M. Cornell - Erecting Dome | Oct. 26, 1877 | |
| 13 | Plans, Specifications and Contracts - City Hall Building - John R. Shirley - Lantern Posts | Dec. 8, 1877 | |
|
|
|||
| 7 | 1 | Plans, Specifications and Contracts - City Hall Building - A. Wentworth, Roberts & Co. - Marble Work | Jan. 28, 1878 |
| 2 | Plans, Specifications and Contracts - City Hall Building - G. W. & F. Smith - Window Frames | Feb. 13, 1878 | |
| 3 | Plans, Specifications and Contracts - City Hall Building - Whittier Machine Co. - Sidewalk Lift | Mar. 25, 1878 | |
| 4 | Plans, Specifications and Contracts - City Hall Building - John Chadwick - Laying Floors | June 26, 1878 | |
| 5 | Plans, Specifications and Contracts - City Hall Building - Specifications for Iron Work and Roof | Nov. 11, 1875 | |
| 6 | Plans, Specifications and Contracts - City Hall Building - Specifications for Masons Work and Setting the Cut Granite Work | No Date | |
| 7 | Plans, Specifications and Contracts - City Hall Building - Plastering, Stucco and Keene's Cement Work | No Date | |
| 8 | Plans, Specifications and Contracts - City Hall Building - Specification of Carpentry and Contingent Work | No Date | |
| 9 | City Hall Commissioners - Legal Papers | Sept. 1876 - June 20, 1878 | |
|
|
|||
| Title | Date | ||
| Bound Volumes | |||
| Records of the Committee on City Hall Furniture | Dec. 10, 1875 - June 2, 1879 | ||
| City Hall Commissioners - Minutes | 1874 - 1878 | ||
| City Hall Commission - Minutes | 1878 - 1879 | ||
| City Hall Commission - Outgoing Correspondence | No Date | ||
| City Hall Expense Ledger | 1875 - 1877 | ||
| City Hall Commissioners - Expense Ledger A | 1874 - 1879 | ||