Mellen City Hall
a.k.a. Morse Town Hall
Bennett and Main Sts., Ashland, WIThe Mellen City Hall is significant as a long-time seat of local government activities, as well as the scene of many social, educational, and cultural events. There is no other building in the small town of Mellen that has touched the lives of nearly all residents with such a variety of functions. The building was designed by a notable northern Wisconsin architect and is typical of many of the public buildings he designed in the northwestern part of the state. It has changed very little on both the exterior and interior since its construction in 1896.
The existing Mellen City Hall was the first structure to house city government offices in this community. The offices of the city clerk, treasurer, justice of the peace, and police are all housed here. Taxes have been collected, elections conducted, town meetings held, and an occasional marriage ceremony performed at City Hall. In the early days of the city hall's existence prisoners were housed here and, since 1907 when the city was incorporated, fire-fighting equipment has been stored here.
Ever since its construction, the city hall has served the community as a key focus of social, educational, and cultural activities. Several community groups have gathered in the meeting rooms of City Hall. The Commercial Club, whose membership included area farmers and businessmen, met there from 1913 until about 1923. The American Legion and the Women's Auxiliary of the American Legion both met at City Hall. Established in 1919, the American Legion met in the downstairs west room until the library occupied that space. Then they began meeting upstairs.
For several years the American Legion sponsored dances every Friday night. Mr. Charles Markee recalls that music was provided by the "one-man band" from Butternut, a Mr. Klein. This versatile musician played his concertina, drums, and other instruments to create waltzes, polkas, and two steps (Charles Markee, interviewed by Mary Maller, February 1979). Other dances were held there too. Mrs. Minnie Anderson recalls that "during World War I whenever a contingent of enlistees would leave Mellen to go to the war, there was always a farewell dance given upstairs in City Hall" (Minnie Anderson, interviewed by Mary Maller, February 1979).
Listed in National Register of Historic Places in 1979.
The National Register of Historic Places is the official list of the Nation’s historic places worthy of preservation. Authorized by the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, the National Park Service’s National Register of Historic Places is part of a national program to coordinate and support public and private efforts to identify, evaluate, and protect America’s historic and archeological resources.