Askeaton
Town of Holland

Old Town Hall

Built for the Town of Holland in 1892; now becoming the Society’s home

Photographed August 30, 2026

At a Glance

The Society leases the Town of Holland’s old town hall in Askeaton and has started rehabilitating it. The hall will become the Society’s home, with an archive for the area’s photographs, documents, and records.3

  • Built1892, by the “Brillion M.F.G. Co.” for $377.321
  • The LandA half acre bought from John Wall for $15.00, believed to be the hall’s lot1
  • SizeAbout 600 square feet4
  • NowLeased to the Society since July 2026, and being rehabilitated3

Donations support the Society’s work, this building included.

→ Make a Donation

The Work

The hall rests on timber sill beams, set on stone piers. Pavement laid right up to the walls held water against the wood. Most of the sills have rotted and now need to be replaced. Volunteers are doing most of the work.

  1. Done · July 2026

    Lease signed

    The Society signed a 10-year lease with the Town of Holland.

  2. Done · Summer 2026

    Site cleared

    The site was cleared of brush and litter.

  3. Done · September 26, 2026

    Open House

    The Society held a small Open House at the hall.

  4. Done · Fall 2026

    Ramp and deck removed

    The Society removed the rear ramp and deck to reach the east sill.

  5. Done · Fall 2026

    Pavement taken up

    The pavement along the east wall was taken up to keep water away from the wood.

  6. Next

    Replace the sills

    Most of the sills have rotted and now need to be replaced.

  7. Planned

    Repair the stone piers

    Each stone pier will be checked once the sill above it is out, and repaired as found.

  8. Planned

    Then the walls and windows

    With the building sound again, the siding, windows and the rest of the outside come next.

Follow the work in our News

The Building’s Story

The Town of Holland had the hall built in the summer or fall of 1892. The “Brillion M.F.G. Co.” built it for $377.32, according to the town’s minute books. The minute books also record a half acre bought from John Wall for $15.00 that year. It is believed to be the hall’s lot. In April 1893 the town decided to hold general elections in the new town hall for the first time.1

For over a century it was the seat of town government. Town meetings, elections and community gatherings were held there until the town’s offices moved to the current town hall at 1293 Holland Road.2 The voting booths used by generations of Town of Holland residents are still inside, as well as a large 1901 Mosler safe with “BRILLION LUMBER CO.” across the top.4 Where the safe came from isn’t known yet.

In May 2026 the town board voted to support leasing the building to the Society,2 and in July 2026 the Society signed a 10-year lease.3

We haven’t found any old photographs of the hall. If you have any, please share them with us. Stories about the hall are welcome too.

→ Share Your History

Sources

  1. Town of Holland minute books, 1892–1893.
  2. “Town Board Supports Lease Proposal for Historic Town Hall,” News, May 7, 2026.
  3. “Society Signs 10-Year Lease on Historic Holland Town Hall,” News, July 16, 2026.
  4. The Society’s survey of the building’s condition, 2026.