The Old Town Hall

Anyone strolling along Walton Street in Port Hope will sooner or later notice the clock tower. The Old Town Hall, at 56 Queen Street, is the most prominent civic building in a town known for its remarkable stock of 19th-century architecture, and its slender octagonal cupola, with a clock and a bell, is the landmark that gives the downtown its character. Port Hope sits on Lake Ontario at the mouth of the Ganaraska River, and its streets of brick and stone shopfronts were saved from redevelopment because the town prospered early and then grew slowly, leaving the heritage intact.

The building was constructed in the early 1850s and rebuilt in 1893 after a fire, an event that shaped its present appearance. It is a two-storey red brick building in a Neo-Classic style that mixes classical form with Greek Revival and Italianate details. The architects who followed fashion of the time gave it a symmetrical facade, tall arched windows and a classical entrance, and the cupola crowns the roofline. The clock and bell once governed the daily rhythm of the town, and the clock still keeps time.

In the 19th century, the building was the centre of public life. It housed the market, council chambers and courtrooms, and the large hall upstairs was used for meetings, concerts and social events until a separate Music Hall was built in 1871. Over time, it has remained a working municipal building, home to the mayor's office, the council chamber and several administrative departments. The building is recognised as a heritage property and is protected by municipal by-law, and it has been the subject of conservation work to keep its brickwork, windows and cupola in good condition.

For visitors, the best approach is to admire the exterior, in particular the tower, the proportions and the brickwork, from the sidewalk. Because it is an active office, the interior is generally accessible only during regular business hours on weekdays, and visitors should check before expecting to go in. Ask at reception whether any historic features can be viewed.

The town hall is a short walk from the Port Hope Art Gallery, the library and the river trail, and it forms a natural centrepiece for a heritage walk through the historic downtown. Architecture fans, photographers and anyone interested in small-town Ontario will enjoy the stroll.