10/11/2026
ISAAC AND THE TOWN HALL PRESENTATION
The theme for the WHA’s annual “Celebration of History” last Sunday was “Isaac and the Town Hall.” The audience listened to Nolan Cool, the Educational Programs Director at Adirondack Architectural Heritage (AARCH) share information he has researched about the life of Isaac Johnson, the builder of the Waddington Town Hall that was completed in 1884. He talked about the research he has done on Isaac’s early history as an enslaved person prior to gradual emancipation and how he eventually made his way to Canada and then to Waddington. His reputation preceded him and when he was hired to build the Town Hall, he was described in the newspaper as a one of the best architects in the country. In fact, the following article appeared in the Gouverneur Free Press describing the building:
WADDINGTON
July 23rd, 1884
“The citizens of our patriotic town are erecting a fine town hall which is to cost $10,000. It is to be built of stone and will be an inspiring edifice. Mr. Isaac Johnson, a colored gentleman from West Wi******er, Ont., is the contractor and one of the best architects in the country. Mr. Johnson was born a slave in Bardstown, Kentucky, and learned his trade in that state. He informed us that 180 cords of stone will be used in its construction. The building was designed by Wm. J. Akin, of Ogdensburg, and will be 45x90 feet, the basement is 9 feet high and nearly finished. The audience room will be 20 feet between joints and surmounted by a tower 60 feet high. John Willis is the boss carpenter. The building will be finished about November first. We are indebted to Mr. McDowell, one of the commissioners for the above information. The people of this town may well be proud of having one of the best town halls in the country.”
Why the Town Hall was built?
When Waddington separated politically from Madrid in 1859, the new town initially had no dedicated town hall. From 1860-1883, Town Board meetings were held at various places, including a local hotel. On March 20, 1884, town authorities voted to construct a new town hall at an initial estimate of $10,000, which turned into $15,500 in the end. While it was initially built as a home for the town government, over its 142 year history, it has also functioned as: an opera house, dance hall, theater, roller skating rink, basketball court, polling place, court space and town jail, dining hall, church venue, social gathering place for graduations, proms, weddings and receptions, birthday and Christmas parties, baby and wedding showers, halloween costume parades, auctions, rummage sales, ice-cream socials, political forums, community meetings, fundraisers, various art classes and workshops. In other words, the Town did not simply construct an office building. It constructed a multipurpose public hall. Until 1977 it was used as the principal municipal facility with town and village offices operating on the ground level floor. When a new municipal office space was built in 1977 as an addition to the Town Barn building on the Maple Street extension, the Town Hall became the “Old Town Hall”. The auditorium continues to be used for community and private events while the bottom floor presently serves as the Waddington Museum.
Like any building, over time the Town Hall has had some deterioration and Superintendent Travis McKnight provided an overview of the repairs and upgrades that have been made over the last twenty years. They include: making it handicap accessible, adding a handicap elevator, installing a new heating system, new attic insulation and new ceiling on the main floor, addition of partition walls at the entrance and new staircase to the bottom floor, new main floor lighting and ceiling fans, new prep kitchen on the stage area for catered events, enhanced outside drainage, a start on repointing, and the restoration of all the windows to their original condition including the original hardware. There are many projects that need attention including the repointing of the building, finishing the drainage and waterproofing of the foundation, replacing the outside stairwell on the south side and replacing the front steps. Town officials continue to look for applicable grant applications to help defer some of the hundreds of thousands of dollars all this will cost.
A special note about the Windows: The window restoration was done by Vicky and Steve MacDonald of Waddington and it has made such a difference to the look of the building and the windows are once again operational. We are very lucky to have such talent in our town.
