Versailles Town Hall and Wayne Township House
Encyclopedia
The Versailles Town Hall and Wayne Township House, located at 4 West Main Street in Versailles
, Ohio
, in the United States
, is an historic brick town hall building built between 1875 and 1876 by joint resolution of the Versailles Village Council and the Wayne Township
Trustees. It is also known as the Versailles Village Hall. On February 18, 1981, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places
.
and fire station
, and also included in the building were community meeting rooms and a theater
. Among the most distinctive features of the building's architecture are large double doors at the entrance, topped with a prominent transom
. Such a structure is quite uncommon in the villages of western Ohio, where fine Italianate
town halls are very rare.
The Town Hall and Township House was one of the few structures to survive a massive fire that destroyed most of downtown Versailles in 1901. Today, the building houses the village's municipal offices, police department, and rescue squad
. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places
in 1981 because of its place in local history and because of its well-preserved historic architecture.
Versailles, Ohio
Versailles is a village in Darke County, Ohio, United States. It is the only village in Wayne Township. The population was 2,589 at the 2000 census. The proper local pronunciation of the name is "Ver Sales", with the accent on the second syllable.-History:...
, Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
, in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, is an historic brick town hall building built between 1875 and 1876 by joint resolution of the Versailles Village Council and the Wayne Township
Wayne Township, Darke County, Ohio
Wayne Township is one of the twenty townships of Darke County, Ohio, United States. The 2000 census found 4,349 people in the township, 1,760 of whom lived in the unincorporated portions of the township.-Geography:...
Trustees. It is also known as the Versailles Village Hall. On February 18, 1981, it was added to 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...
.
History
During June and July, 1875, the Versailles Village Council and the Wayne Township Trustees met and agreed to build a structure to be called the Versailles Town Hall and Wayne Township House, for the joint use of both governmental bodies. Completed by local builders in the following year, it served originally as the jailJail
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 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...
, and also included in the building were community meeting rooms and a theater
Theatre
Theatre is a collaborative form of fine art that uses live performers to present the experience of a real or imagined event before a live audience in a specific place. The performers may communicate this experience to the audience through combinations of gesture, speech, song, music or dance...
. Among the most distinctive features of the building's architecture are large double doors at the entrance, topped with a prominent transom
Transom (architectural)
In architecture, a transom is the term given to a transverse beam or bar in a frame, or to the crosspiece separating a door or the like from a window or fanlight above it. Transom is also the customary U.S. word used for a transom light, the window over this crosspiece...
. Such a structure is quite uncommon in the villages of western Ohio, where fine Italianate
Italianate architecture
The Italianate style of architecture was a distinct 19th-century phase in the history of Classical architecture. In the Italianate style, the models and architectural vocabulary of 16th-century Italian Renaissance architecture, which had served as inspiration for both Palladianism and...
town halls are very rare.
The Town Hall and Township House was one of the few structures to survive a massive fire that destroyed most of downtown Versailles in 1901. Today, the building houses the village's municipal offices, police department, and rescue squad
Rescue squad
A rescue company is a public service organization that uses specialized equipment and knowledge to rescue people. There are two typical applications: squads that rescue trapped people, and squads that rescue people who are having medical emergencies....
. It was listed 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...
in 1981 because of its place in local history and because of its well-preserved historic architecture.