Original City Hall

Post card of Valdosta’s original City Hall
Valdosta’s first City Hall was built in 1895 for $15,000. The City Hall was located on the southeast corner of West Hill Avenue and South Ashley Street. The facility, with its 70 foot clock tower, pressed brick walls and granite trim, was the “ornament of the town.” The assembly hall located on the second floor seated 600 people and gave the town a public gathering place. The building was also Valdosta’s library until 1913, when the Carnegie Library was built (the current home of the Lowndes County Historical Museum) The first city meeting here was held on May 11, 1895. The structure served as Valdosta’s city hall for 63 years. By 1958 the city government had outgrown this building and moved to new facilities on N. Toombs Street. It was demolished in the 1960s.
- The City Hall with early downtown Valdosta growing around it.
- Shot of the City Hall’s demolition from the Owen K. Prewitte Collection.
- A view from the 1940s of the offices inside the original City Hall
- Photo at City Hall of boys in the school patrol with Valdosta policemen on the department’s early motorcycles
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A Modern Building
A modern style building was constructed in 1958 at 500 North Toombs Street. City offices were located here until 1970. This former city hall is now the headquarters of the Valdosta Police Department. The structure underwent an extensive remodeling in 1997.
- An architectural sketch of the building, including designs for expansions that were never built.
- The completed Toombs Street city hall.
- City Hall after becoming the Valdosta Police Department
- Motorcycle police officers with Police Chief Wilburn Periceson at the Toombs Street office.
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Historic Post Office
![(1997-27) Post Office and U.S. Court House - later Valdosta City Hall, May 1, 1910 [Mr. O.K. Jones in photo]](https://valdostamuseum.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/1997-27-Post-Office-and-U.S.-Court-House-later-Valdosta-City-Hall-May-1-1910-Mr.-O.K.-Jones-in-photo.jpg)
Mr. O.K. Jones by the current Valdosta City Hall (originally a post office and federal court house) after the buildings construction in 1910.
- The foundation for the post office under construction
- The 1910 post office under construction
- The north and east sides of the post office while under construction
- The exterior taking shape
- The nearly completed post office in 1910
- A view of the original construction inside the historic post office under construction
- The completed entrance hall
- The annex on the left of the original structure was added in the 1935
The current post office on North Patterson Street was completed in 1969 to replace the 1910 facility. In 1970, the City of Valdosta purchased the building, and restored it. Sadly, in August of 1987, a burglar set fire to the building. Luckily, Valdosta firefighters were able to save the landmark. By late 1988, the city administration was back in the newly refurbished building. It now houses City Council Chambers, as well as the offices of the Mayor, City Manager, City Clerks, and other local government staff.
- Article from the Valdosta Daily Times, August 16, 1987, about the fire at City Hall
- Photo from newspaper on August 15, 1987 showing firefighters on hand at the former post office
- Water damage was sustained in preventing the fire from spreading to the city council chambers, in the former federal court room.
- The ribbon cutting in the city council chambers on November 11, 1988 after the extensive building renovation from the Valdosta Post
In 2010 the city of Valdosta commemorated the 100th anniversary of the current City Hall building with a re-dedication. The event also corresponded with celebrations for Valdosta’s sesquicentennial, the 150th anniversary of the city’s founding. The Lowndes County Historical Museum provided a thorough history of Valdosta’s City Hall’s and the former post office in an exhibit that was displayed in the City Hall entrance.
- The unveiling of the historic marker at the City Hall’s re-dedication.
- Display created by the Lowndes County Historical Museum at City Hall