Municipal Building Commission
Historic Photos
Construction of the City Hall and Courthouse building was a feat to say the least. Huge blocks of granite -- some weighing as much as 26 tons each -- were transported by train from Ortonville, Minnesota. The downtown Minneapolis landscape also has changed significantly since the building's inception in the late 1800s. As time has passed and events have occurred, the building has endured as a lasting icon for Minneapolis and Hennepin County. Peruse the historic photo archive for a look into the founding and life of the City Hall and Courthouse as well as some close-ups of key building features.


Image Gallery: Historic Photo Archive
View from Crow's Nest
Aside from a panoramic 360 degree view, visitors to the crow's nest were also delighted with this precarious look down to the street below. Hennepin Avenue Suspension Bridge
The predecessor to the present Hennepin Avenue bridge, the early suspension bridge connecting what is now downtown to St. Anthony. Interior View of Clock Face
A view of a clock from inside the clock tower during the installation of a new clock face. Father of Waters
Mississippi, or the Father of Waters as he is better known, has graced the rotunda of City Hall and Courthouse since 1904. Sculpted from the largest piece of marble taken from the famed Carrara quarries in Italy, he weighs over 14,000 pounds. Read more about the Father of Waters by clicking here. 
See all 24 images.