City Hall (Salem, Massachusetts)

City Hall is a historic city hall at 93 Washington Street in Salem, Massachusetts and located in the Downtown Salem District.The Greek Revival building was constructed in 1838, and architect, Richard Bond (1797-1861). Salem City Hall was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1973.Located on the 2nd floor of Salem City Hall, the City Council Chamber Room serves as the site of bimonthly city council meetings and other regular board and commission meetings.HistoryCity Hall was built in 1837-38 under the supervision of Mayor Leverett Saltonstall and a committee appointed for that purpose. The cornerstone was laid on September 6, 1837. Artifacts buried beneath the cornerstone included copies of local newspapers, the Mayor's speech for the organization of City Government (May 9, 1836), and the new City Charter. The building was enlarged in 1878 by an extension in the rear which did not alter its appearance as seen from the street. The extension doubled the size of the building and brought all existing city offices under one roof.In 1837, under the administration of President Andrew Jackson, the United States Treasury held a surplus in the amount of nearly $40 million. This surplus was distributed to the various states, which in turn distributed this money to the cities and towns. City Hall was built from this surplus revenue, as Salem's share was nearly $34,000. The building and furnishings cost approximately $22,878 and when finished, and this is perhaps one of the few municipal structures in existence paid for without taxing the citizens.City Hall was first occupied by the City Council on the evening of May 31, 1838. A formal dedication was held on June 8, 1838.