​​​​​​​​​​​OLD TOWN HALL MUSEUM

624 South Britain Road

Southbury, CT 06488

 

​The Old Town Hall Museum (OTHM) in the South Britain area of Southbury houses the Southbury Historical Society’s office, archives and collections, and serves as its museum.

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Built in 1873, the two-story wooden building functioned as Southbury’s Town Hall until December 31, 1963. The main floor of the building housed all the town offices as well as justice and small claims courts. Town meetings were held in the evenings, and the selectmen would meet and pay the town bills on Saturday afternoons when school was recessed. The second floor was used as a schoolroom and as a community meeting place where dances and other social events were held. 

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Once a hub of community life, the building stood neglected for nine years and came close to being demolished until, in the summer of 1971, a group of private citizens formed the Old Town Hall Museum Association and later purchased the building for $1. With help from volunteers and fundraising efforts, combined with a bicentennial grant from the state in 1976, the building was renovated throughout the 1970s.  Ownership passed back to the town and the newly formed Historic Buildings Commission in 1980.  It has been home to the Southbury Historical Society since 1983.

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​Research appointments are made by contacting the Archivist.  

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