It’s Wayback Wednesday, sponsored by Jamie Lockwood, broker/owner of Sutton Group Muskoka Realty!
In this ca. 1940 photo, Huntsville’s Town Hall is all decked out for Christmas.
Did you know that at one time, the building contained not just town offices and council chambers, but also the customs office, post office, fire hall and, in the basement, the armoury?
Town Hall was built in 1926, but it had taken since 1902 to get to that point. At that time, the location was going to be the block bounded by Main, Centre, and Caroline streets (where the post office is today), but that deal was eventually abandoned due to a “liquor clause” on the deed. Then, in 1912, the town decided to buy the Pym House, a hotel located about where the parking lot next to Allora restaurant (formerly the A&P) is today. They would have needed a $5,000 debenture to pay for it, and put the matter to a public vote. Only 60 ratepayers voted for it; 144 against.
Local manufacturing businesses were interested in having a customs office in town, so in 1913 some councillors and board of trade members travelled to Ottawa with the intent of getting a new federal building for a post office and customs. With the help of Muskoka’s MP, William Wright, who was from Huntsville, they secured a $5,000 grant and soon after the federal government began negotiating with the Methodist Church for its manse site on Main Street. The deal was finalized in 1914 at which time Huntsville received a $20,000 grant for the post office. Construction was expected to begin that summer, but was cancelled with the announcement that Britain and Germany were at war.
It was until 1925 that Huntsville finally reached an agreement with the federal government to resume the project. Construction began in 1926 and council held its first meeting there on Jan. 11, 1927.
Photo and details courtesy of Huntsville: With Spirit and Resolve.
See more Wayback Wednesday photos here.
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That’s how I remember it also, Connie. The jail cell was at the back, also police office, and the barred window could be seen from High St. Town Hall was a busy place.
I believe the jail was also in the town hall . Teen Town had a tour of the building and I think the jail was one cell.
Perhaps someone remembers better than I.
Seems nothing was easy for the town to get finalized even back then. Proves the more things change the more they stay the same.