Fairhaven Town Hall (1894)

40 Center Street

Financed by Rogers as a gift to the town from his first wife, Abbie, this French Gothic building was the second of Rogers’ buildings to be designed by Charles Brigham. Originally, it housed all of the town government offices, as well as the Post Office and the police station with three iron-barred jail cells. It is still home to many of the town’s municipal offices.

The interior features English oak paneling, solid brass fixtures and leaded, stained glass windows. The tower houses a four-faced clock. The magnificent auditorium on the second floor, restored in the 1990s, has been the site of many town meetings, dances, concerts, plays and theatrical performances. Humorist Mark Twain, a close friend of Rogers, appeared on stage here on February 22, 1894, as the keynote speaker at the building’s dedication ceremony.

Town Hall is open Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.