Program

Hometown Heritage®

Subject

Building, Government

Location

500 E Fairhaven Ave, Burlington, WA 98233, USA

Lat/Long

48.475396, -122.329233

Grant Recipient

Burlington Historical Society

In 1925 the city of Burlington was growing rapidly, and the former city hall that had been used since the 1880s, called Maccabee Hall, was too small and outdated. The Burlington Journal called it unattractive and dilapidated, and criticized it for being built from wood.

In February of 1925 plans were submitted to City Council for a new 2-story fire-proof building with retail space on the ground floor and space on the second floor for City Hall, municipal offices, and an assembly room. It was to be strategically located next to the Great Northern Railway’s main line through town. In March 1925, City Council passed an ordinance authorizing a special election to be held in April for the issuance and sale of municipal bonds in the amount of $17,000 for the construction of the new building. In April of 1925 it was reported that the first-floor shops would actually generate far more revenue for the city than it would cost to build, predicted to generate $30,000 over the next 20 years. Public support carried the vote in the special election, and the bonds were issued.

Proposals for a “fireproof” building were then solicited and contract bids chosen. The building was fully completed by November of 1925, and businesses began to move in. The first City Council meeting was held in the new building on December 4^th, 1925.

Many of the first community meetings held in the new hall were agricultural and fraternal groups, like the Lettuce Men, Business Men’s Club, and the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. The Women’s Christian Temperence Union were also early users of the new community hall, hosting county-wide meetings there. One of the first businesses to move into the shops on the first floor was The Radio Shop, which sold radio equipment and hosted radio concerts for the community.

Burlington continued to grow throughout the 20^th century, and by 1978 it had outgrown this building. A new City Hall-Library Complex was planned, and the new building opened in November of 1978. The former City Hall building was sold. As of 2025, it is owned by a real estate company.