At the Annual Town Meeting in March 1964 we appropriated $50,000 for a Town Office Building.  Soon thereafter Leonard Smith was selected as the designer.  Plans and specifications moved forward and the required public hearing was scheduled for December 8, 1964 at the  H.O. Smith School.   The plans provided about 4,800 square feet of floor space which  would accommodate the Selectmen’s office, Police Department, Town Clerk and Tax collector, Planning Board, Board of Adjustment. the Building Inspector, as well as a meeting hall for officials and civic groups.   The School Street site was selected because the town owned the property and the playground facilities located there could be transferred to the H O Smith playground.   Bids were asked for and all  bids received were above the appropriation.  This resulted in negotiations between the Board of Selectmen and the lowest bidder.   The contract was signed and ground was broken in early spring 1965.  Our first photo shows the first ‘swipe’ of ground taken by the bulldozer to prepare the former playground on School Street for the foundation for this office building. In the background we see the old fire alarm and the rear of the  row houses along Ferry Street.

Adrien Labrie of Nashua was the General Contractor for the project.  This company was also the contractor for the Alvirne High School addition, in process at the same time.    Because of  pressures to have the school addition ready for September, construction of the Office Building received several setbacks. Originally the  schedule hoped for occupancy during summer of 1965; actual occupancy was delayed until late December of that year.At that time the Police Department and town officers mentioned above moved into this new facility.

In 1974 a 30 x 60 foot addition was made; and in 1985 a second addition was approved by the town.  This latter addition included the addition of a porch-style life and ramps for handicap accessibility.  Photos from Historical Society Collection.