page_title: Fall River Government Center
section_title: Old city hall
hierarchical_section_title: Fall River Government Center / Old city hall
caption_attribution_description: English: Title: City Hall Date: [ca. 1880–1970] Format: Postcards/Cards Genre: Postcards Location: Fall River Public Library Collection (local): Fall River Collection--Historic Postcards, c. 1880-1970 Subjects: City &amp; town halls Automobiles Places: Massachusetts &gt; Bristol (county) &gt; Fall River Extent: 1 photograph&#160;: color photomechanical print Permalink: https://ark.digitalcommonwealth.org/ark:/50959/pg15bv01m Terms of Use: No known copyright restrictions This work is licensed for use under a Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). CC BY icon Preferred Citation: Courtesy of Fall River Public Library Notes (date): Date supplied by cataloger. Notes: Title from item. No. 68546 Identifier: 1281
context_page_description: Fall River Government Center is the location of the municipal government offices in the city of Fall River, Massachusetts, United States. Located at One Government Center, and constructed directly over Interstate 195, it was the first public building built over a Federal interstate highway. It replaced the city's historic 19th century city hall which had been demolished in the early 1960s as part of the construction of Interstate 195, which cuts through the center of the city's downtown area. Delayed and plagued by problems during construction, the new city hall opened in 1976. In 2008, the building and site underwent a multimillion-dollar exterior renovation.
context_section_description: The city's historic 19th century city hall was demolished in 1962 for construction of Interstate 195, which cut through the heart of downtown Fall River. It was a time of so-called "urban renewal" in the city after the tough years since the collapse of the city's textile industry in the 1920s and 1930s. Several other 19th and early 20th century buildings were also demolished as part of the new highway construction. The old city hall, which had survived two fires was constructed directly over the Quequechan River, the source of power for the early textile mills. As part of the highway project, the river was diverted into an underground culvert which parallels the highway, along the south side of the current city hall. Two granite columns from the front of the old city hall are located across from the current building, along Sullivan Drive, next to the Academy Building.  The eagle which topped the spire of the old city hall is currently located in the foyer of the new building.
caption: Old City Hall
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