Ogdensburg’s City Hall Rises from the Ashes

On June 25, 1930, the wooden staging that had covered Ogdensburg’s new City Hall for years finally fell away. As the scaffolding came down, it revealed a cream-colored brick monument. It was a sight four years in the making—a period defined by masonry, mortar, and political machinations.

The journey to this unveiling began with a disaster. In 1926, a devastating fire leveled the Opera House and Town Hall that had occupied the site since 1880. The loss was a financial blow; the building was insured for only $69,000 (roughly $1.2 million today), while the cost to rebuild would reach nearly $3 million in modern currency. The physical destruction of the building, however, was quickly followed by a crumbling of civic cooperation.

The remains of the old Opera House became the center of a new problem. Conflict arose between the Town of Oswegatchie and the City over funding, site location, and architectural plans. While former Mayor Julius Frank and others debated whether to build on the original site or move to State Street, the Opera House ruins remained a public hazard. W.C.M., a local bricklayer, wrote to the editor in March 1927, applauding Mayor Westbrook’s desire to "tear down and begin anew" after witnessing a large stone fall from what was left of the Opera House into the street.

These tensions eventually led to a total legal "divorce." By a special act of the New York State Legislature in 1927, the Town and City officially separated their municipalities. This legislative split led to the City paying the Town $10,320 (nearly $200,000 today) to buy out their interest in the building site. With the buyout settled and the 'divorce' final, the city could finally break ground.

When City Hall was finally dedicated on November 14, 1930, the community celebrated its grand opening. Hundreds of residents toured the mayor’s private office and the council chambers. The building's exterior was constructed to tell the story of the city’s past, even as the interior was busy with new activity. Some even visited the new jail cells—which already hosted two "guests" for the night.

The front facade of the building shares the story of the city. Carvings of a fleur-de-lis, a lion, and an eagle—symbolize France, Britain and the United States, all of whom ruled Ogdensburg at one time. There is even more history inside; Former Mayor W. Allan Newell pointed out that the original 1749 cornerstone of Fort de la Presentation, which survived the 1926 fire, was carefully reinstalled in the new building. While the building featured symbols of the past, it would also see the arrival of a new aerial technology.

While the building featured symbols of the past, it also inspired a unique tribute to modern technology. Photographer Louis Murray, a local "camerist," created a striking composite image of the nearly finished City Hall with the British dirigible R-100 passing overhead. Although the airship did fly near Ogdensburg on August 11, 1930, Murray likely used darkroom magic to "paste" the 709-foot "flying hotel" into the frame. This image became a popular postcard, allowing residents to share a souvenir that captured the excitement of a new era. This composite was a thrilling sight, however the real building beneath the airship was much more important to the community.

To the leaders of 1930, the building represented more than just brick and stone; it was the heartbeat of the community. As Mayor Newell remarked, it was the place where births and deaths were recorded, diseases were fought, and justice was served. It was proof that, despite fire and political problems, the story of Ogdensburg continued.