Colorize and Breathe Life into Old Black-and-White Photos (Get started for free)
"What was the colorization of Detroit City Hall looking like from 1871 to 1961, and are there any photographs available to view?"
The Old City Hall building was designed to be a majestic landmark, featuring a clock tower with four dials, each 8 feet 3 inches in diameter.
The building's dedication ceremony was held on July 4, 1871, and was overseen by Mayor William W.
Wheaton.
The sandstone maidens representing the civic virtues of Art, Commerce, Industry, and Justice were part of the building's original design.
The Old City Hall building was targeted for demolition several times over the years, but it took nearly 90 years for it to be finally torn down.
The City-County Building, now known as the Coleman A.
Young Municipal Center, replaced Old City Hall in 1961.
Old City Hall was torn down without ceremony, and the clock tower was left standing for several years before being demolished as well.
The site where Old City Hall once stood is now occupied by One Kennedy Square.
The building's roof was designed to provide a panoramic view of the city, and visitors could climb to the top for a small fee.
Old City Hall was built on a site that saw much turnover, serving as a military reservation, a home for the Association for the Promotion of Female Education, a state armory, and a state office building before becoming the City Hall.
The four statues that originally adorned Old City Hall featured four important historical figures: Friar Gabriel Richard, Antoine Cadillac, Father Jacques Marquette, and Chief Pontiac.
The demolition of Old City Hall was carried out at night, unannounced, on August 14, 1961, with crews working under floodlights to tear down the building.
Historian Dan Austin notes that for nearly 100 years, Old City Hall was the center of life in Detroit, serving as the seat of government and a symbol of the city's growth and development.
Colorize and Breathe Life into Old Black-and-White Photos (Get started for free)