Original Town Hall and Municipal Center

Original Town Hall and Municipal Center. . , When African Americans began building new communities after the Civil War, a gathering place, such as a school, church, lodge or town hall, was often at the center of the community. In Fairmount Heights, the Original Town Hall filled that role. Built in 1908, the town hall was the social and political center for the community during segregation. It was also the meeting place for townspeople who were active in politics. Fairmount Heights' proximity to Washington, D.C., made it a center for political activity., In 1942, the town constructed a municipal building on the same site as the Original Town Hall. The municipal building's lower level served as the fire hall. The upper level housed a meeting space. Four years later, in 1946, the town added a two-story wing to provide more meeting space and a library., By the 1950s, the building's use changed. The library and fire department relocated to new spaces. The town's offices remained in the Municipal Building until 1990 when they relocated to 6100 Jost Street. The original municipal hall was demolished after 1996., A Home for the Library , While some Prince George's County communities were served by book mobiles in the 1950s, the Prince George's Memorial Library System opened a branch in a room in the municipal building in 1948. , [Captions:] , Fairmount Heights Municipal Center in the 1980s, The original sign on the Fairmount Heights Municipal Center building when it was built here in 1908.