Barnesville City Hall and Jail

The Barnesville City Hall and Jail is situated in a public service complex. Throughout its history, the complex has housed the city opera hall, the city hall, the jail, a fire hall, city offices and council chambers, and a municipal liquor store. Many of these offices changed locations or purposes over the years, leaving behind a complicated timeline of uses. 

The opera hall was the first part of the complex and was built in 1891. It was a popular location for small-town entertainment ranging from music and drama to comedy and lectures. Productions were often put on by the People’s Theater Company and Sanford Dodge as well as touring groups. Some famous performers include Wood & Ward in the early 1900s, and Clint & Bessie Robbins in the 1930s. The hall was also utilized by the local school to put on school plays and fundraisers. In 1937 for example, the school performed a senior class play utilizing the stage within the opera house. Before the addition of the city hall and council chambers, the opera hall was also used to house public forums and other community events. The venue sustained itself with community entertainment but was threatened by the opening of Bijou Theater. In order to protect both businesses from competition, they operated on opposing schedules meaning that when the opera was running a show, the theater was not.[1]

The City Hall was added to the complex in 1899 with a construction cost of $20,000.[2] It was built at the same time as the Barnesville electric plant and originally the plant was planned to be in the basement of the city hall. However, the plans were changed due to concerns of the noise from the plant disrupting the opera hall. The jail was added in 1910 and in the same year space was allocated to the fire department. A full fire hall, including garage, was added in 1927 along with additional city offices and council chambers. A municipal liquor store was established in 1937 after the end of prohibition.[3]

Clay County was a hot spot for bars and saloons prior to voting for prohibition in 1915. A large number of arrests were credited to alcohol abuse and the theory was that implementing a dry county would reduce alcohol consumption and arrests. Prohibition held out until the Great Depression hit and the nation as a whole saw liquor stores and alcohol as a means of boosting the economy. Nationwide prohibition ended in 1933, but Clay County did not vote to become a wet county until 1937, after which the Barnesville municipal liquor store opened.[4] 

Many of the complex’s occupants moved elsewhere as Barnesville developed. The Barnesville City Hall is currently (2021) located across the street from the original building. The Barnesville Fire Department can be found on the corner of 2nd Street and 3rd Avenue. The original building now houses the Barnesville Police Department, while the old city jail has become a tourist site. The old jail is located at the northwest side of the complex and is distinguished by a sign for interested visitors. The municipal liquor store became Fire Hall Liquor in 1978, named thus because of its location in the old fire hall. All of these developments have been helpful to the city both in terms of financial benefit and functionality. The complex has been remodeled a few times as well in 1973 and 1982 to keep it updated to fully serve the community.[5]

[1] Seasons to Remember Barnesville: The First 100 Years. ed. Robert Harrison (Barnesville, Minnesota: Barnesville Centennial Corporation Inc., 1982.) 14, 24, 66, 128.

[2] “Prosperous Future Predicted for Madison and Barnesville, Minn., by Mayors of Both Towns,” The Minneapolis Journal, April 1, 1906. 

[3] Seasons to Remember Barnesville, 7, 94.

[4] Kate Savageau, “Moorhead's Saloon Era, 1890–1915,” MNopedia, Minnesota Historical Society, Accessed March 18, 2021. https://www.mnopedia.org/event/moorhead-s-saloon-era-1890-1915.

[5] Seasons to Remember Barnesville, 159, 162.

Savageau, Kate. "Moorhead's Saloon Era, 1890-1915." MNopedia. Minnesota Historical Society. Accessed March 18th 2021. https://www.mnopedia.org/event/moorhead-s-saloon-era-1890-1915.

"Prosperous Future Predicted for Madison and Barnesville, Minn., by Mayors of Both Towns." Minneapolis Journal (Minneapolis) April 1st 1906.

Seasons to Remember: Barnesville: The First 100 Years. Barnesville, Minnesota. Barnesville Centennial Corporation Inc., 1982.