Peterborough Town House


The Peterborough Town House is the town hall serving Peterborough, New Hampshire. Located at Grove and Main Streets in downtown, the 1918 building is a significant local example of Colonial Revival architecture, and was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1996.

Description and history

The Peterborough Town House occupies a prominent location in downtown Peterborough, at the southwest corner of Main and Grove Streets. It is a two-story brick building, covered by a gabled roof. The main facade, facing Grove Street, is divided into five bays, which consist of round-arched openings on the first level. The bays of the tall upper level are divided by pilasters which support a modillioned entablature and gabled pediment with oculus window. The building is topped by a small octagonal tower. In the interior, the lower level is taken up by town offices, while the upper level houses a large, high-ceilinged auditorium with a balcony at the front of the building and a stage at the back.
The hall was completed in 1918, after the previous town hall was extensively damaged by fire in 1916. It was designed by Benjamin F.W. Russell, a part-time resident of Peterborough who had served as an architect under Guy Lowell. The design resembles that of Faneuil Hall in Boston, Massachusetts, which is described as a possible inspiration for its features. The building continues to serve its intended function.