Nerstrand City Hall
Encyclopedia
Nerstrand City Hall is a historic city hall
building in Nerstrand, Minnesota
. The structure was placed on the National Register of Historic Places
(NRHP) on April 6, 1982.
. Located on the south side of Main Street, it is the most architecturally distinctive building in the community.
Designed by the St. Paul
firm of Thori, Alban, & Fisher, it was constructed in 1908. It features a symmetrical facade and is capped by a wood cornice
with modillion blocks and a central bell tower. The central bay
features a double doorway framed by brick pilaster
strips and dentillated wood cornice
. The main door is flanked by large two part windows with stone sills and headers. A large stone bearing the words "CITY HALL" separates the door from three rectilinear windows in the second story bay; these are flanked by small oval windows. The open bell tower shelters a bell and features a dentillated cornice and domed roof capped by a flagpole. Spherical finial
s flank the bell tower at the corners of the building.
ted until the Chicago Great Western Railway
reached the area in 1885. It incorporated in 1897. The area surrounding Nerstrand and Wheeling Township were formed from a close-knit Norwegian American community. The turn of the century was a period of maturation for Rice County, characterized by various civic improvements, city halls, water systems, etc. Nerstrand's first city hall, built at the time of incorporation, proved too small within a few years. A lot was purchased for the new building in 1907 and it was finished the following year.
The ground floor of Nerstrand's City Hall originally housed city offices, fire equipment and a jail
; and a large community room occupies the second floor. A new fire station
was built adjacent to the structure in the 1980s. At the time the building was listed on the NRHP, it was being used as the public library
.
The building is significant for its association with Nerstrand's early growth as well as being one of Rice County's best examples of the municipal building
s that were constructed in the first decades of the twentieth century. It reflects a period of increased civic-mindedness and prosperity.
Seat of local government
In local government, a city hall, town hall or a municipal building or civic centre, is the chief administrative building of a city...
building in Nerstrand, Minnesota
Nerstrand, Minnesota
Nerstrand is a small town in Rice County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 295 at the 2010 census.Minnesota State Highway 246 serves as a main route in the community. Minnesota State Highways 56 and 60 are nearby.- History :...
. The structure was placed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
(NRHP) on April 6, 1982.
Structure
Nerstrand City Hall is a two story red brick building located in the small community of Nerstrand in Rice CountyRice County, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 56,665 people, 18,888 households, and 13,353 families residing in the county. The population density was 114 people per square mile . There were 20,061 housing units at an average density of 40 per square mile...
. Located on the south side of Main Street, it is the most architecturally distinctive building in the community.
Designed by the St. Paul
Saint Paul, Minnesota
Saint Paul is the capital and second-most populous city of the U.S. state of Minnesota. The city lies mostly on the east bank of the Mississippi River in the area surrounding its point of confluence with the Minnesota River, and adjoins Minneapolis, the state's largest city...
firm of Thori, Alban, & Fisher, it was constructed in 1908. It features a symmetrical facade and is capped by a wood cornice
Cornice
Cornice molding is generally any horizontal decorative molding that crowns any building or furniture element: the cornice over a door or window, for instance, or the cornice around the edge of a pedestal. A simple cornice may be formed just with a crown molding.The function of the projecting...
with modillion blocks and a central bell tower. The central bay
Bay (architecture)
A bay is a unit of form in architecture. This unit is defined as the zone between the outer edges of an engaged column, pilaster, or post; or within a window frame, doorframe, or vertical 'bas relief' wall form.-Defining elements:...
features a double doorway framed by brick pilaster
Pilaster
A pilaster is a slightly-projecting column built into or applied to the face of a wall. Most commonly flattened or rectangular in form, pilasters can also take a half-round form or the shape of any type of column, including tortile....
strips and dentillated wood cornice
Cornice
Cornice molding is generally any horizontal decorative molding that crowns any building or furniture element: the cornice over a door or window, for instance, or the cornice around the edge of a pedestal. A simple cornice may be formed just with a crown molding.The function of the projecting...
. The main door is flanked by large two part windows with stone sills and headers. A large stone bearing the words "CITY HALL" separates the door from three rectilinear windows in the second story bay; these are flanked by small oval windows. The open bell tower shelters a bell and features a dentillated cornice and domed roof capped by a flagpole. Spherical finial
Finial
The finial is an architectural device, typically carved in stone and employed decoratively to emphasize the apex of a gable or any of various distinctive ornaments at the top, end, or corner of a building or structure. Smaller finials can be used as a decorative ornament on the ends of curtain rods...
s flank the bell tower at the corners of the building.
History and significance
The city of Nerstrand traces its history to the 1870s, but the town was not platPlat
A plat in the U.S. is a map, drawn to scale, showing the divisions of a piece of land. Other English-speaking countries generally call such documents a cadastral map or plan....
ted until the Chicago Great Western Railway
Chicago Great Western Railway
The Chicago Great Western Railway was a Class I railroad that linked Chicago, Minneapolis, Omaha, and Kansas City. It was founded by Alpheus Beede Stickney in 1885 as a regional line between St. Paul and the Iowa state line called the Minnesota and Northwestern Railroad...
reached the area in 1885. It incorporated in 1897. The area surrounding Nerstrand and Wheeling Township were formed from a close-knit Norwegian American community. The turn of the century was a period of maturation for Rice County, characterized by various civic improvements, city halls, water systems, etc. Nerstrand's first city hall, built at the time of incorporation, proved too small within a few years. A lot was purchased for the new building in 1907 and it was finished the following year.
The ground floor of Nerstrand's City Hall originally housed city offices, fire equipment and a jail
Jail
A jail is a short-term detention facility in the United States and Canada.Jail may also refer to:In entertainment:*Jail , a 1966 Malayalam movie*Jail , a 2009 Bollywood movie...
; and a large community room occupies the second floor. A new fire station
Fire station
A fire station is a structure or other area set aside for storage of firefighting apparatus , personal protective equipment, fire hose, fire extinguishers, and other fire extinguishing equipment...
was built adjacent to the structure in the 1980s. At the time the building was listed on the NRHP, it was being used as the public library
Public library
A public library is a library that is accessible by the public and is generally funded from public sources and operated by civil servants. There are five fundamental characteristics shared by public libraries...
.
The building is significant for its association with Nerstrand's early growth as well as being one of Rice County's best examples of the municipal building
Municipal Building
Municipal Building may refer to:*A city or town hall*Places named "Municipal Building":in the United States:*Municipal Building , El Dorado, AR, listed on the National Register of Historic Places in Arkansas...
s that were constructed in the first decades of the twentieth century. It reflects a period of increased civic-mindedness and prosperity.