Town Hall – Chester MA

Description

Chester, Massachusetts is located along Route 20 in western Massachusetts, about 15 miles west of Westfield State University. It was a site along the Boston and Albany Railroad (B&A) from the mid 1800s due to the presence of quarries in the area and the town had a few small factories in the early 1900s. The population of Chester was approximately 1,400 in the early 1900s and remains almost exactly the same today.

In 1935 a fire broke out in the Chester Town Hall and engulfed the entire building. The federal Public Works Administration (P.W.A.) contributed funds toward the rebuilding of the town hall later that year. Construction began in 1935 and the structure was completed in 1937.

The town hall was located on a sloping piece of land that required a T-shaped building plan. Meaning, although the building appears to be two stories high from the front, it is actually three stories high with fully accessible basement level around the rear. The basement consists of three meeting rooms and a utility room. The first floor has an auditorium and two lobby areas. The second floor houses several town offices and waiting rooms. The basement level is concrete construction and the upper levels are brick with white wood trim, columns, and a cupola on top.

The Chester Town Hall remains in use today. Residents of the town of Chester might visit the town hall in order to see the town administrator, town clerk, tax collector, a local assessor or selectman, or receive a number of other services. The town hall also still hosts local events like meetings, lectures, and, occasionally, concerts.