Cambridge City Hall Receives 2025 Mayor Thomas M. Menino Legacy Award

Cambridge City Hall, Cambridge

Preservation Mass is pleased to announce that Cambridge City Hall is the recipient of a 2025 Mayor Thomas M. Menino Legacy Award.

A city hall building is crucial to any community, and Cambridge’s 135-year-old City Hall is no different.

In a 2-year project including 13 months of construction, Cambridge City Hall recently underwent a historic preservation of its façade, addressing the stone masonry, wood window frames, the clock tower, flagpole, and gilding of the historic text above the entryway. The 2022-2024 restoration is a testament to the importance of preserving a building as-is.

The City Hall was first constructed in a light Milford granite with a darker Longmeadow sandstone as the trim. As it has gone through restorations throughout the years, similar stones were sourced to stay true to the original. The clock tower had been last restored 20 years prior. Since then, the gilding on the numbers and hands had worn off and the machinery needed minor restorations. The hands and numbers were removed to repaint the clock on all four sides of the tower so it can continue to be hand-wound every week.

With a plaque recognizing the original architects and designers of City Hall on the lawn, it is clear that Cambridge City Hall has lasted through time. Each day, this restoration benefits Cambridge residents, visitors, public servants, and others who interact with city government.