Bluefield in Mercer County, West Virginia — The American South (Appalachia)
Old City Hall
The grand architecture of the Bluefield Municipal Building announced to all who entered that Bluefield was a proud city. This Classical Revival Style building was designed by noted architect, Wilbur Mills. It was built in 1924, and served as Bluefield's nerve center for 50 years. In addition to municipal offices, the old city hall contained the library, jail, police station, and an auditorium. Creative reuse has given the building a new life and it remains a source of pride for Bluefield's citizens.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Architecture • Government & Politics • Law Enforcement. A significant historical year for this entry is 1924.
Location. 37° 16.055′ N, 81° 13.354′ W. Marker is in Bluefield, West Virginia, in Mercer County. It is on Bland Street (U.S. 52) south of Ramsey Street, on the right when traveling south. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 514 Bland St, Bluefield WV 24701, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in the Southern Coalfields. It is also in the American South, specifically in the Upper South,
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Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Peery Building (within shouting distance of this marker); Bluefield Daily Telegraph Building (within shouting distance of this marker); Elizabeth Kee (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); Kee Federal Building (about 300 feet away); Bailey Building (about 300 feet away); Bluefield (about 300 feet away); The West Virginian Hotel (about 400 feet away); Law and Commerce Building (about 500 feet away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Bluefield.
Also see . . . National Register of Historic Places Nomination Form.
Old City Hall is individually listed on the National Register of Historic Places as the Municipal Building. This building's nomination form was prepared by Rodney S. Collins, Architectural Historian with the Historic Preservation Unit of the West Virginia
The Old Municipal Building at Bluefield, Mercer County, West Virginia, was built in 1924 to house offices of all principal city government departments. The building was designed by an important Columbus, Ohio, architect in the Neoclassical Revival style to accommodate the expanding needs of Bluefield, a major commercial center and gateway to southern West Virginia's great Pocahontas coal fields. The Old Municipal Building with its offices for the City Clerk, City Treasurer, Police Department, Public Library, City Manager, Purchasing Agent, Engineering Department, Health Department and City Board of Directors, became the identifiable symbol of government in Bluefield and a focal point for almost all public activities. These activities extended also to cultural events held in the municipal auditorium of the building, and to public order when lawbreakers were escorted to the Municipal Building's jail.(Submitted on July 9, 2026, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia.)
Photographed by Devry Becker Jones (CC0), July 4, 2026
3. National Register of Historic Places plaque for Old City Hall
Credits. This page was last revised on July 9, 2026. It was originally submitted on July 9, 2026, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. This page has been viewed 4 times since then. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on July 9, 2026, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia.
