Town Hall
"The new town hall by the middle of May, 1857, was so far completed that it began to immediately be used as a central meeting place." B.F. Reed
The earliest settlers met in J. W. Moore's cabin town meetings and church services. it also served as the post office. It was a small cabin, 16x20 feet and at least six men lived there: Lewis Smith, J.E. Stacy, Geo. A. Lowe, Joe Moore and others. Father Chauncey Taylor felt that the town needed a more formal gathering place. He successfully spearheaded a campaign to build a town hall. In 1857, the town hall was nearly completed (the walls were not plastered) and the first meeting were held in the new building.
The town hall served many purposes: Father Taylor's Congregational church services were held there every Sunday morning and the Methodist minister held services there on Sunday afternoons. The town hall also served as the first school building and library. Dances, town meetings and other gatherings also took place in the town hall.
After the Spirit Lake Incident, the settlers were afraid that they might also be attacked by the Sioux Indians. A stockade or high fence was built around the town hall to protect citizens if the need arose.
The earliest settlers met in J. W. Moore's cabin town meetings and church services. it also served as the post office. It was a small cabin, 16x20 feet and at least six men lived there: Lewis Smith, J.E. Stacy, Geo. A. Lowe, Joe Moore and others. Father Chauncey Taylor felt that the town needed a more formal gathering place. He successfully spearheaded a campaign to build a town hall. In 1857, the town hall was nearly completed (the walls were not plastered) and the first meeting were held in the new building.
The town hall served many purposes: Father Taylor's Congregational church services were held there every Sunday morning and the Methodist minister held services there on Sunday afternoons. The town hall also served as the first school building and library. Dances, town meetings and other gatherings also took place in the town hall.
After the Spirit Lake Incident, the settlers were afraid that they might also be attacked by the Sioux Indians. A stockade or high fence was built around the town hall to protect citizens if the need arose.