Our History

Where the Old Town Hall stands is on Nonotuck land. We acknowledge our neighboring Indigenous nations: the Nipmuc and the Wampanoag to the East, the Mohegan and Pequot to the South, the Mohican to the West, and the Abenaki and Pocumtuck to the North.

Built in 1869 and dedicated as a memorial to the fallen Union soldiers of Easthampton, the two-floor brick Italianate Old Town Hall was used to house the city’s municipal offices and to host community events, including candidate debates, plays, and dances. Listed on the National and State Historic Register, this significant historic landmark and iconic architectural structure has served for generations as a touchstone for residents and visitors alike. 

Main Street has been the civic and economic heart of Easthampton since its construction in 1785. Two hundred and one years later, in 1986, Easthampton’s Main Street, anchored on one end by the Old Town Hall, was added to the register of National Historic Places.  Between 1869 and 2003, when the City relocated its offices, the Old Town Hall was the hub of city activity. 

In 2006, CitySpace was granted a lease by the City to occupy the first floor of Old Town Hall and established as a nonprofit 501(c)(3) by founders Will Bundy, owner of Eastworks, and Ed Check. In 2007, CitySpace began leasing space to nonprofit and for profit tenants. Big Red Frame was the first tenant in the building followed by Easthampton City Arts. CitySpace completed renovations to the first floor of the building in 2015, restoring its historic features and adding public amenities for visitors.  In 2022, CitySpace opened the Blue Room as an incubator venue for performance and community to gather, create, and share. The partnership between the city and CitySpace has worked so well that in January 2019, CitySpace established a 44-year lease with the City of Easthampton for the purpose of preserving, maintaining, and increasing the use of our city’s most prominent and historic building. CitySpace then launched its campaign to restore Old Town Hall and create accessible performing arts venue in Old Town Hall’s 2nd floor.  

So many stories have been made in the Easthampton’s old Town Hall. Share your images and stories with us!

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