Year(s) Listed: • 2024 |
City/Town: • Elmdale |
Location Class: • Government |
Built: 1936 | Abandoned: ~2005 |
Status: • Abandoned • Endangered |
Contributor: Sheryle Baker |
The Works Progress Administration (WPA) provided the labor for the construction of the now-former city hall in Elmdale. As of 2023 the building appears to be abandoned.
According to a historical marker, the city hall was built between 1936 and 1937 and funded jointly with the city of Elmdale providing $1,500 and the “Federal Government” providing the remaining $3,674.10 of the total cost of $5,174.10.
“The building served the Elmdale area for more than just city administrative functions. A wide variety of social and community organizations used the building for meetings and activities. This included groups such as the Boy Scouts and the Philatelist Club. It also had a water well next to the front steps with a long handle manual pump and a “tin cup” for anyone to use on a hot Kansas day.”
It is currently sitting vacant after a flood damaged the building in 1998. It is only used once a month from 6:00 Pm – 7:00 pm for our city council meetings and storage of all records that need to be retained.
Issues within the building include broken windows, non functioning doors, HVAC problems etc. The town hopes to create a museum as well as a workspace for our city council.