Between 1888 and the early 1890s Rogers' first town hall was located in a one-story, wood-frame building at the northeast corner of First and Walnut Streets (the present home of Dollar Saver). A two-story brick structure was later built a little farther north on the west side, at 114-116 North First Street.
The Rogers Hose Company, which later became the Rogers fire department, also occupied the building, using the fire bell in the small tower atop the building to issue alarms.
In 1928 a $40,000 bond issued was approved for a new building to include city offices and city council chambers, a fire station, and the police department. The new three-story building at 212 West Elm Street was designed by noted Rogers architect A.O. Clarke. On September 21, 1929, the city’s offices and fire department were transferred the new building. In 1931 the building also became home to the city’s library, and in 1951 it expanded to include all of top floor of city hall; the library moved out in 1964 to its own building.
The Old City Hall building at Elm and Third
Streets, 1968.
Courtesy of Randy McCrory. (Neg. #N019205)
North First Street in Rogers, circa 1890s,
showing the second city hall (with bell
tower). Courtesy of Betty Swearingen. (Neg.
#N006155)
Several additions have been made in and
around the old City Hall. On December 7,
1934, the Rogers City Council approved the
placement of a 1908 4.7-inch siege gun from
the Rock Island, Illinois, ordinance depot
on the building grounds to the west. In 1955
a one-story brick addition to the fire
department was built on the east and south
sides, designed by architect Belle
Dinwiddie. In 1984 the interior was
remodeled and an exterior fire stairway
added; the building was listed on the
National Register of Historic Places in
1988.
Soon space in the building became tight and
lack of safety and full access became
issues. In 1985 most city offices and the
council chambers moved into the current City
Administration Building at 300 West Poplar
Street.
The fire department moved into their new
building on First Street between Chestnut
and Maple in June 1998. And in December 1999
the new police and municipal court building
opened at 1901 South Dixieland.
As of this writing, only the Code
Enforcement office are still located in the
old City Hall building. The City is looking
for a larger building to house all of its
expanding administrative offices in the near
future.