Since the early to mid-1800s, there has always been discussion about building a Town Hall. It has appeared on the Town Warrant during the years of 1838, 1840, and 1844. The 1840 Town Warrant stated building a Town House on the Green near the home of John Adams. This spot would today be located at 678 Main Street, where to Children's Museum now stands.
During those early times, the town was divided into the North and South Parishes, and of course, parish rivalry always blocked its passing. The South Parish eventually separated in 1878 and became the town of Hampden. Seven years later in 1885, the April Town Meeting included an Article that read:
"Art. 16. To see if the Town will vote to erect a monument to the memory of the men of Wilbraham who died for their country in the war for the preservation of the Union, and make all necessary appropriations, and choose a committee to carry the same into effect."
A committee of five was chosen to work out the details. Approximately a month later the committee reported in favor of building a Memorial Town Hall to be located in the Center Village where the Civil War Monument now stands and for this new town hall to be a Memorial Town Hall in memory of the men who died for their Country during the Civil War.
The town approved the report and voted in favor of this plan. The committee purchased the lot of James B. Crane for $500 and his brother, Zenas, paid half the cost, as a gift to the town.
Now a new rivalry has started between the North and Center Villages. Both villages wanted to have the new Town Hall located in their section of town. The two key players in this rivalry were Henry W. Cutler and Chauncey E. Peck.
Henry W. Cutler was a very prominent man who lived in the North Village. He established his grain and milling business there. As a "public-spirited" citizen, he donated a fine home to the town of Wilbraham which became the town library and it was dedicated on June 18, 1913. This building was located on Boston Road between the current fire and police stations.
Chauncey E. Peck was also a very prominent man who lived in the Center Village. He established a carriage and wagon manufacturing business which was located at 380 Main Street in the center of town. He was also a representative in the General Court in 1881, in charge of erecting the Soldiers Monument in Crane Park, author of the 1913 History of Wilbraham, and town moderator for many years. Peck wrote and published two well-known poems of local lore - The Parson's Rose and Mineola.
The battle continued between the two villages and Henry W. Cutler was furious about the decision to where the new town hall was to be built. After a petition was drawn up and necessary signatures acquired, He sought an injunction to halt the project but in early January of 1886, the Supreme Court would not grant it, finding the actions of the town to be legal.
The building committee asked for bids on the construction of the new Memorial Town Hall. On January 21, 1886, the committee held a meeting to award the bid. A total of three bids were received and the lowest bidder for the project was chosen and it was Chauncey E. Peck, for a total of $8,475 which was $1,525 lower than the highest bid from Joseph Hayden of Springfield. The middle bid was from the Flynt Building & Construction Company of Palmer for $9,060.
The winter of 1886 was very mild and the construction of the new Wilbraham Memorial Hall was started. The excavation for the walls and basement was completed. The basement walls consisted of brownstone from the abandoned quarry on the west side of West Street (Stony Hill Road near Manor Road) and the stone above the ground to about four feet was from a quarry in Sixteen Acres. The rest of the building was to be of brick. The basement section and the wall just above grade were completed by April of that same year.
The Town Meeting in April of 1886 approved the work that was done and voted to complete the project. The meeting continued until about 9:00 PM, some of the voters went home and a motion was made to reconsider finishing the project. The motion passed and the new Memorial Town Hall was to be no more. The foundation was eventually filled. It is a good probability that all the stonework is still intact underground.
The struggle between the two villages continued until those who favored the project gave up. A lawsuit ensued from the contractor who provided the work that was done. It took about three years until the matter was settled and the expense to the town was a little more than $3,000.
In 1888, Chauncey E. Peck built a house at 381 Main Street and used much of the timber in that house that was originally purchased for the town hall.
It is unknown who designed the building to be built for Wilbraham. It looks very similar to the Memorial Town Hall that the town of Monson built in 1885, whose designer was George Potter. It was also the same year that Wilbraham decided to build one of their own. Both buildings were designed to be High Victorian Gothic. The one in Monson was built of granite and the Wilbraham building was to be built of brownstone and brick.
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