BERLIN

Town Hall

Berlin's first town house was constructed in 1831 for town meetings and social activities. Community growth necessitated the construction of a new town hall, and construction of the new town hall was started in 1869 and completed in 1870. The lot, a small piece of land facing the Meeting House Common in the center of Berlin, was given to the town by Artemas Barnes.

The Memorial Hall, on the first floor, included photographs of nearly all the local soldiers lost in the Civil War. Later the photos of other Civil War veterans were added until likenesses of nearly 100 local men were collected there. In the 20th century, war dead of World War I, World War II and Vietnam were added.

Barnes Hall, used for social gatherings, and the Selectmen's Room were also on the first floor. In 1904–1905, an addition was built at the back of the building to provide space for a kitchen and the public library on the first floor, and the stage on the second floor. Toilets were added in the 1630s.

In 1998, however, the town hall was moved from the 1870 building to the former home of the elementary school and the school was moved into a new building down the road.

The public library was located in the Town Hall from 1891 until 1928. Barnes Hall was used as a school room in the 1870s. As recently as 1999 the locally produced musical Swinging Into the Millennium was held in the upper hall. Two area contra dance groups have used the hall in recent years. Meetings of Boy and Girl Scouts and local youth baseball and soccer groups also are held in the building.

The project of refurbishing and providing ADA-accessible access to the second floor of the 1870 Town Hall was completed in 2019. The space is available for both Town government use and for rent as a function hall and meeting space.