Town Halls (1900’s)

West Boylston has had a series of town halls in its history. After the reservoir had stripped the valley of its buildings, the town decided to construct a new, permanent town hall. Below is a picture of the Program from the new Town Hall’s Dedication on January 18th, 1904. The town hall stood where the Municipal Lighting Plant stands today. The ceremony included music from a local quartet and speeches from townspeople, including town Selectman Andrew J. Scarlett. Andrew Scarlett’s family owned a huge tract of land on the west side of Temple Street. Scarlett Brook Plaza, where Walmart and West Boylston Cinemas are today, is named for the brook named after his family.

The town hall’s life was tragically cut short by a massive fire on Christmas Eve in 1917. The entire building burned to the ground, and several buildings nearby caught fire but were saved by the fire department. There was no hope for the town hall, however, and the damages numbered well over $10,000 outside of what insurance could cover. The town didn’t build another permanent town hall until a few years ago when they constructed the new town offices.