Wooden Floor Coming to Town Hall Lobby Ahead of 100th Anniversary

This June, when Braintree Town Hall hits 100 years old, there will be a celebration and cake, Mayor Joseph Sullivan has said many times over the last several months, using a small portion of the time he has speaking to student athletes, law enforcement groups and others to extend an invitation.

And just in time for that celebration, the Town Hall lobby will have a new wooden floor, replacing the blue and white tiles that have greeted those entering the historic building for decades.

The $10,000 project is part of a larger effort to renovate the building that began with approprations in 2005, according to a report by the Boston Globe.

Less than a year after the Town Hall that was built in 1858 burned, in March of 1912, the town voted to build a new meeting place and put aside $70,550 for the effort. Construction began that June and was completed in time for a dedication ceremony on June 26, 1913.

The day was cloudy, according to a report in the Braintree Observer, but with no rain. At French's Common next to Town Hall, the Braintree White Sox battled the Braintree Athletic Association to a 2-1 victory after 14 innings. Some 5,000 people were estimated to be in attendance.

Check out more on the history of Town Hall and the fire: http://braintree.patch.com/articles/braintrees-town-hall-fire-100-years-later