Memorial Hall ca. 1919

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A women's group stands in front of Memorial Hall in 1919. Memorial Hall was at the southeast corner of Broad Street and Water Street (now Main Street). The women in the community raised the money to build the hall as a memorial for World War I veterans. It was designed from the Chautauqua Building plan in Waxahachie and constructed from lumber from the old dormitory at the Mansfield Academy, which was closed in 1909. The hall was used as a community center for church revivals, plays, graduations, teas and funerals. The building became the property of the City of Mansfield. When it was torn down, the city built a brick City Hall, which later contained the police and fire departments.

The women shown in the photo are (from left) Mrs. Earl Holland, Maude Holland, Clara Malone, Mrs. Nora Stone, Kate Smith, Allie Henderson, Mrs. Moore and Mrs. Pete Gilstrap; seated (from left) Mrs. Ben Graves and Josephine, Mrs. Otis House, Mrs. Stella Smith, Mrs. Mary Sumpter Smith, Mrs. Jay Grow, Mrs. Harry D. Nifong Sr. and Mrs. Ruby McGee; (children) Maude Graves, dog Ted and Harry D. Nifong Jr.

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To learn more about Mansfield history, check out the Mansfield Historical Museum, 102 N. Main St., open 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. Admission is free. For more info, call 817-473-4250, email museum@mansfieldtexas.gov or go to mansfieldhistory.org.

Photo courtesy of the Mansfield Historical Society.

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