33. Enlarging the Town House, 1878/79

In the first two decades of the Town House's existence, Concord made only "few and small" repairs to the new building, as stated in the town report for 1871/72. By the early 1870s, however, the structure had developed some significant maintenance issues - for example, the drainage of large quantities of water from its roof through the foundation, into the cellar. Moreover, over the years it had become increasingly apparent that the original building was inadequate to the requirements of speakers, performers, and guests at large gatherings. Repairs were made in 1871/72 to rectify the most serious maintenance problems, but the building was not expanded until late in the decade (1878/79), when the town spent about thirty-five hundred dollars on an addition designed by George B. Thayer and built by Foster & Dutton.