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Old City Hall

Introduction

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This striking building was Fort Pierce's city hall from 1925, when it was built, to 1983 when a new facility opened next door. Designed by architect William W. Hatcher, it combines elements of the Mediterranean Revival and the Italian Renaissance styles. Highlights include a gray stucco exterior, a red clay barrel-tile roof, a decorative stone frieze running along the top of the exterior walls, several double-arched windows on the second floor, and an ornate finished stuccoed bay where the main entrance is located. Old City Hall was built during the height of the Florida land boom in the 1920s and represents the prosperity of the period. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the second floor of the building is now available to rent.

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Old City Hall was built in 1925 and is a fine example of Mediterranean Revival and Italian Renaissance architecture.

Cloud, Sky, Plant, Window

Backstory and Context

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The City of Fort Pierce was officially established in 1901 when the population numbered a few hundred residents. It appears that the first city hall building, called the Engine House & Council Hall, was erected around 1906. According to a 1915 map of the city, it was located next to where Old City Hall is now. In Fort Pierce's early years, city officials met infrequently but they decided to build Old City Hall during the prosperous 1920s. Architect William W. Hatcher, who was from Alabama, designed it (he also designed a new fire station and a commercial building). In all, 33 mayors worked in the building.

While the new city hall was being built, Old City Hall became City Hall Annex and housed several city government departments including code enforcement, zoning, and community development. The other government offices were located in rented spaces. Eventually, Old City Hall was threatened with demolition but the community rallied to save it. Its restoration in 1995 marked the first of many restoration efforts in the downtown area and the rest of the city.

Sources

"Old City Hall." City of Fort Pierce. Accessed March 26, 2021. https://www.cityoffortpierce.com/210/Old-City-Hall.

Harrington, Tim et al. "Old Fort Pierce City Hall." National Park Service - National Register of Historic Places Nomination Form. December 7, 2001. https://npgallery.nps.gov/GetAsset/56fd98e8-fcb4-4616-a92d-1993c2304bf1.

Image Sources(Click to expand)

Wikimedia Commmons: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Ft.PierceOldCityHall.jpg

Additional Information