The Town Hall (left) was located near today’s Avon Historical Society headquarters at 8 East Main Street. The viewer today would be in the middle... Show moreThe Town Hall (left) was located near today’s Avon Historical Society headquarters at 8 East Main Street. The viewer today would be in the middle of Route 44 by the busy intersection and traffic lights, and looking towards Avon Mountain. The Avon Town Hall was built between 1890-1891 by Martin Parsons of Unionville. It cost $1,500, and its completion was celebrated and dedicated with a town dance. The Town Hall was also the community center, used for meetings, socials, dances, basketball, movies, dances and more. Frank had an opinion about dances, and wrote in 1891 that “The Town Hall here was completed this month and dedicated with a dance. I never could understand why people think there should be a dance in a new building - or any other place for that matter. It has always seemed to me that dances - the modern dance - is not only demoralizing but absurd.” The Town Hall, expanded and renovated in 1956 at the cost of $20,000, was destroyed by fire on November 3, 1967. Public records survived the fire. Frank Hadsell’s little “News Office” store is the third building in this row. The fourth building looking towards the mountain is the home Frank shared with his mother Jane. Original title in CBH’s list for photograph #030:“Town Hall & St . East.” Original title on his paper sleeve: “Town Hall and Street East April 22, 1910.” The sleeve, from Harvey & Lewis in Hartford, was a Kodak envelope marked by the manufacturer that the developing papers were guaranteed until August 1, 1908. Source: Frank Hadsell Diary, 1891, Volume 12. p. 5, for the new town hall dedicated with a dance. Also see Howard, pp. 17 & 19. Caption by Nora O. Howard, Avon Town Historian, 2017. Show less