39. Proposed Renovation and Expansion of the Town House, 1915

In the early part of the twentieth century, Concord regularly spent money on repairs and improvements to the Town House (for example, on storage facilities for public records in 1908 and 1909, toilets for visitors in 1911, and terra cotta chimney lining in 1913). At the same time, there was increasing need for space in it for various municipal functions. But the building was deteriorating. A number of needed repairs had been postponed and, by 1915, demanded immediate attention. Moreover, the stage area could be used for large events only in violation of state fire law. In the 1915 printed town report, the Selectmen acknowledged that "something should be done." Having considered abandoning the old building and starting fresh with a new one, they recommended expansion and alteration instead. However, Concord voters declined to fund extensive Town House renovations.