Louisville City Hall
Encyclopedia
Louisville City Hall is a building in Louisville, Kentucky
. Completed in 1873 to house the Louisville city government
, the structure is located at 601 West Jefferson Street in what became Downtown Louisville
, the center of the city's civic district. It was placed on the National Register of Historic Places
in 1976.
Since the merger of the former City of Louisville with Jefferson County, Kentucky
, it now primarily houses the offices and chambers of the Louisville Metro Council
. The former Jefferson County Courthouse, now known as Louisville Metro Hall
, is now primarily home to the offices of the metro mayor of Louisville.
Before the City Hall's construction, there was no dedicated building for city government, whose officials used space in the county courthouses. The plan was selected by way of a design competition held in 1867 with the winner receiving $500. The contest was won in April 1867 by local architect John Andrewartha and C.S. Mergell. In late summer 1870, the final plans for City Hall construction were made by Andrewartha, who was named managing architect, and architectural firm C.L. Stancliff and Co. The remaining government buildings were demolished before ground was broken on the city hall in 1870. City engineer I.M. St. John was selected by the Lousivlle General Council to supervise the project.
Indiana Limestone
, from White River
quarries near Salem, Indiana
was used. Construction took place between 1870 and 1873 at a final cost of $464,778. The exterior has been renovated several times but remains basically unchanged, while the interior has been completely remodeled several times.
A Greco-Roman
annex building was built just west of City Hall in 1909. It was designed by Cornelius Curtin. An 1891 firehouse, the next building down Jefferson Street, was integrated to the complex in 1937. The building housed the city's tax collectors and quickly acquired the name "Sinking Fund Building." By the late 20th century it housed the Inspections, Permits and Licenses Department, which moved out in 2004. All three buildings were added to the National Register of Historic Places as the City Hall Complex in 1976.
and Second Empire styles, both popular at the time in civic buildings. Designs on the building represented the city's outlook in the post-Civil War
era, which was very optimistic. The pediment
over the main entrance features a relief of the city seal and a train steaming forward past Southern flora with the inscription, "Progress, 1871." Other engravings, over the tympana
of the side windows, depict livestock heads, representing the importance of agriculture in Louisville's early history.
It has three full stories had a raised basement. The most prominent feature is the 195-foot four-faced clock tower
with mansard roof
, not completed until 1876 after an earlier one burned in 1875. The tower included a three-ton bell which rang until 1964, when the clock broke. It was repaired in 1968 but broke in the 1970s. It was repaired in 1991.
Louisville, Kentucky
Louisville is the largest city in the U.S. state of Kentucky, and the county seat of Jefferson County. Since 2003, the city's borders have been coterminous with those of the county because of a city-county merger. The city's population at the 2010 census was 741,096...
. Completed in 1873 to house the Louisville city government
Government of Louisville, Kentucky
Louisville Metro is governed by an executive dubbed the Metro Mayor as well as a city legislature dubbed the Metro Council. The second and current Metro Mayor is Greg Fischer , who entered office on January 3, 2011...
, the structure is located at 601 West Jefferson Street in what became Downtown Louisville
Downtown Louisville
Downtown Louisville is the largest central business district in the Commonwealth of Kentucky and the urban hub of the Louisville, Kentucky Metropolitan Area. Its boundaries are the Ohio River to the north, Hancock Street to the east, York and Jacob Streets to the south, and 9th Street to the west...
, the center of the city's civic district. It was placed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
in 1976.
Since the merger of the former City of Louisville with Jefferson County, Kentucky
Jefferson County, Kentucky
As of the census of 2000, there were 693,604 people, 287,012 households, and 183,113 families residing in the county. The population density was . There were 305,835 housing units at an average density of...
, it now primarily houses the offices and chambers of the Louisville Metro Council
Louisville Metro Council
The Louisville Metro Council is the city legislature of Louisville, Kentucky . It was formally established in January 2003 upon the merger of the former City of Louisville with Jefferson County and replaced the city's Board of Aldermen and the county's Fiscal Court .The Metro Council consists of...
. The former Jefferson County Courthouse, now known as Louisville Metro Hall
Louisville Metro Hall
The Louisville Metro Hall, formerly the Jefferson County Courthouse or Louisville Courthouse, is the center of Louisville, Kentucky's government. The building was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1972...
, is now primarily home to the offices of the metro mayor of Louisville.
History
The site was already Louisville's civic center. The first log courthouse was built across the street in 1784, and a brick courthouse stood on the site from 1811 to 1837. Prior to the construction of the City Hall, city government officials shared space with the courthouse.Before the City Hall's construction, there was no dedicated building for city government, whose officials used space in the county courthouses. The plan was selected by way of a design competition held in 1867 with the winner receiving $500. The contest was won in April 1867 by local architect John Andrewartha and C.S. Mergell. In late summer 1870, the final plans for City Hall construction were made by Andrewartha, who was named managing architect, and architectural firm C.L. Stancliff and Co. The remaining government buildings were demolished before ground was broken on the city hall in 1870. City engineer I.M. St. John was selected by the Lousivlle General Council to supervise the project.
Indiana Limestone
Indiana Limestone
Indiana Limestone, also known as Bedford Limestone is a common regional term for Salem limestone, a geological formation primarily quarried in south central Indiana between Bloomington and Bedford....
, from White River
White River (Indiana)
The White River is a two-forked river that flows through central and southern Indiana and is the main tributary to the Wabash River. Via the west fork, considered to be the main stem of the river by the U.S. Board on Geographic Names, the White River is long.-West Fork:The West Fork, long, is...
quarries near Salem, Indiana
Salem, Indiana
Salem is a city in Washington Township, Washington County, Indiana, United States. Salem serves as the county seat, and its downtown area is on the National Register of Historic Places...
was used. Construction took place between 1870 and 1873 at a final cost of $464,778. The exterior has been renovated several times but remains basically unchanged, while the interior has been completely remodeled several times.
A Greco-Roman
Neoclassical architecture
Neoclassical architecture was an architectural style produced by the neoclassical movement that began in the mid-18th century, manifested both in its details as a reaction against the Rococo style of naturalistic ornament, and in its architectural formulas as an outgrowth of some classicizing...
annex building was built just west of City Hall in 1909. It was designed by Cornelius Curtin. An 1891 firehouse, the next building down Jefferson Street, was integrated to the complex in 1937. The building housed the city's tax collectors and quickly acquired the name "Sinking Fund Building." By the late 20th century it housed the Inspections, Permits and Licenses Department, which moved out in 2004. All three buildings were added to the National Register of Historic Places as the City Hall Complex in 1976.
Architecture
The building was a striking blend of ItalianateItalianate architecture
The Italianate style of architecture was a distinct 19th-century phase in the history of Classical architecture. In the Italianate style, the models and architectural vocabulary of 16th-century Italian Renaissance architecture, which had served as inspiration for both Palladianism and...
and Second Empire styles, both popular at the time in civic buildings. Designs on the building represented the city's outlook in the post-Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
era, which was very optimistic. The pediment
Pediment
A pediment is a classical architectural element consisting of the triangular section found above the horizontal structure , typically supported by columns. The gable end of the pediment is surrounded by the cornice moulding...
over the main entrance features a relief of the city seal and a train steaming forward past Southern flora with the inscription, "Progress, 1871." Other engravings, over the tympana
Tympanum (architecture)
In architecture, a tympanum is the semi-circular or triangular decorative wall surface over an entrance, bounded by a lintel and arch. It often contains sculpture or other imagery or ornaments. Most architectural styles include this element....
of the side windows, depict livestock heads, representing the importance of agriculture in Louisville's early history.
It has three full stories had a raised basement. The most prominent feature is the 195-foot four-faced clock tower
Clock tower
A clock tower is a tower specifically built with one or more clock faces. Clock towers can be either freestanding or part of a church or municipal building such as a town hall. Some clock towers are not true clock towers having had their clock faces added to an already existing building...
with mansard roof
Mansard roof
A mansard or mansard roof is a four-sided gambrel-style hip roof characterized by two slopes on each of its sides with the lower slope at a steeper angle than the upper that is punctured by dormer windows. The roof creates an additional floor of habitable space, such as a garret...
, not completed until 1876 after an earlier one burned in 1875. The tower included a three-ton bell which rang until 1964, when the clock broke. It was repaired in 1968 but broke in the 1970s. It was repaired in 1991.
External links
- Vintage postcards of City Hall
- Architectural page - includes detail photos
- Pictures of City Hall Louisville Kentucky