Written by Joy Hekel

In 1905, necessity prompted action for the construction of a new municipal building for the town of Skowhegan. Coburn Hall, which had been the site of the town's activities in the previous years, had burned in the most disastrous fire in the town's history. The selectmen of Skowhegan appointed a committee to make plans for a new building to house the headquarters of the town. C.A. Marston, L.W. Weston, C.H. Gardner, J.W. Steward and R.T. Hall submitted three plans for consideration; each plan included a hall with a seating capacity of at least 1,000 people, rooms for the use of the town officers, with vaults or vault, a municipal court room and any other rooms that were likely to be needed by the town.

The committee considered several sites, the Bacon lot on the Island, the Brown-Chase lot on Water Street, the site between the Hotel Coburn and the Bethany Baptist Church on Madison Avenue, and the former Heselton House lot on Water Street. But before a site could be chosen, it took an affirmative consensus of votes from both former sections of Skowhegan (Bloomfield and what was the old Skowhegan), to stay within the Legislative Act of 1861, which prohibited the location of a town hall other than on the Skowhegan Island without approval from both former sections of town.

At a town meeting on March 10, 1906, the townspeople voted to approve the lot of the former Heselton House on Water Street for the site of the new building. The town bought the lot for $10,000 on July 20, 1906.

On March 11, 1907, the Municipal building was authorized. The selectmen appointed a building committee composed of Joseph P. Oak, Benjamin A. Sawyer, Charles E. Young, Harvey B. Goodwin, and Rev. A.D. Lacroix. The committee, in turn, selected John Calvin Stevens of Portland as architect and Smith and Rumery of Portland as contractor for the superstructure. The building planned was to measure 120 feet long on Water Street, 70 feet in width, and 62 feet high. The auditorium would seat 1,000 people, be equipped with a stage and many ante rooms needed for various productions. Plans for the first floor placed the municipal courtroom opposite the Water Street entrance, directly across a large hall. A number of smaller, office-type rooms were also designated into the main floor plans. The new building would be adaptable as well as functional. Total cost in bonds would be $75,000.

Actual construction of the Municipal Building commenced on November 1, 1907. By January 23, 1909, a specially finished, two-tone brick building stood on the lot where the Hotel Heselton had been. Inside the new structure fancy double staircases fashioned in oak lead to the new Opera House. Oak woodwork appeared throughout the building. Patterned tin ceilings adorned many rooms, which added to the aesthetic qualities of Skowhegan's new Municipal Building. On February 10, 1909, in a formal opening ceremony, a proud Building Committee presented the keys of the new building to the selectmen.

Thus began public use of the Municipal Building. The first town meeting held in the building was on March 8, 1909. The new Municipal Courtroom was use for regular selectmen meetings, teachers and mothers meetings, and for the meetings of charitable, benevolent, and improvement societies.

The new building played an important part in the Skowhegan school system. Rooms on the first floor housed the offices 'of the school superintendent, the school committee and the school and district nurses. High School commencements were held in the large auditorium until 1971. At one time, kindergarten classes were conducted in the main council room.

The public hall, used frequently for public entertainment, was known as the Skowhegan Opera House. The first theatrical production of the new building was "The Wolf" by Eugene Waters, performed on February 13, 1909. In October, 1909, evangelistic services were held for two weeks, conducted by Preacher Harry Taylor and Gospel Singer Albany Smith. Several Skowhegan singers assisted with the music on Sunday evenings. The first pay lecture in the auditorium was by Donald MacMillan, Arctic Explorer, on February 17,1910. For several years in the 1920's, Skowhegan people enjoyed many concerts given in the spring of each year by William R. Chapman as well as others brought by him from New York.

Booker T. Washington spoke at the Opera House on September 28, 1912. William H. Taft gave a lecture on the Monroe Doctrine on April 14, 1916. Others of national importance who were heard by the townspeople in the Municipal Building included William Jennings Bryan and Senator William E. Borah.

Each year, as needed, monies were appropriated towards the building maintenance and for the salaries of town employees. In 1916, budget figures included the ten cent per-hour salary of a young high school girl who assisted with the tax assessment books. Margaret Chase Smith began a lifetime of public service within the walls of the Skowhegan Municipal Building.

On March 6, 1965, $1,800.00 was appropriated from taxes to construct a Municipal Building parking lot in the area west of the building. Monies for rewiring and general improvements were approved as needed. Then, at a special town meeting on September 29, 1977, the townspeople voted favorable action to appropriate $50,000 from the Municipal Building Renovations Account along with any federal assistance possible for the purpose of renovations to the building.

Under the process of renovations, new doors were installed, as well as an elevator. Floors were carpeted, ceilings and walls were painted. The original oak woodwork and tin ceilings were restored to their original condition. With such improvements, the town once again possessed a fine public building for business and entertainment.

The Municipal Building, which had been constructed in need, will continue to provide the people of Skowhegan with town headquarters as it stands as a piece of antiquity for generations to come.