100 Years Ago Today—Geneva's City Hall Story Began ... With a Fire

Here is a little bit of history to brighten your day! The history of our current Geneva City Hall building begins 100 years ago today … 

• On April 10, 1912, Geneva City Hall burned down. That City Hall was originally built in 1844 as the Kane County Courthouse, later becoming City Hall as a larger county courthouse building was needed in 1857. The City Hall that burned down in 1912 was located on the same site as the current City Hall building and had survived two previous fires.  (Context:  One hundred years ago today the Titanic left Southampton on its maiden and tragic voyage, ultimately sinking on April 15.)

• On April 11, 1912—the very next day—the City Council met to discuss rebuilding. It was decided to ask Geneva citizens if they wanted to rebuild City Hall and to include a long-talked public hall in the rebuilding.  

• On April 16, 1912—less than a week after City Hall had burned—a city election was held on whether to rebuild a city hall. The proposition to rebuild was approved by a vote of 353 to 80.

• On May 6, 1912, Mayor Marstiller named a “Citizens’ Committee” to act in conjunction with the City Council on plans to rebuild City Hall. 

• On June 12, 1912, architect Eugene Malmer’s designs were selected. (Mr. Malmer was from Aurora.) The City Council called for an expenditure of $15,000 in bonds to build City Hall. Mr. Malmer revised his drawings and they were approved in August 1912. 

• On Sept. 3, 1912, bids were opened to construct the building, and the contract was awarded to the Wilson Brothers for the lowest bid of $14,900. (John Wheeler came in second at $15,400 and Max Lehman of St. Charles was third with $16,824.)

• On Nov. 4, 1912—Alderman Anderson reported that the contractor was about to commence putting in the foundation for the new City Hall and that some action was necessary in regard to the installation of pipes for sewer, water and other plumbing connections as it was imperative that this work be done at this time.  

• On Dec. 9, 1912, Mayor Marstiller laid the cornerstone which included a time capsule. It was reported in the Geneva Republican: “The box placed in this cornerstone was made of heavy copper and contains a photo of the city officials, a Tri-City Directory, Post Card views of Geneva, the Kindergarten Edition of The Geneva Republican and several other copies of the paper, coins and a short sketch of the historic points regarding the City Hall site and the former buildings there."

• On June 5, 1913—City Hall was completed. Total construction cost, with furniture and interior improvements: $20,000.

Please join us from 9 a.m. to noon May 19 to celebrate City Hall’s Centennial & Rededication. The real contents of the 1912 Time Capsule will be displayed— find out if what was reported was really in the box ... or if there were other items!

For more information about the event, please see http://www.genevadowntown.org/calendar//events/index.php?com=detail&eID=1940

This article is courtesy of Karla Kaulfuss, city of Geneva preservation planner.