Designed by architect Fred Swasey in the Richardsonian Romanesque style, Memorial Hall in Milford, Massachusetts, is one of the finest examples of the style in the state and is built of locally quarried Milford granite with Longmeadow brownstone. The building was constructed in 1884 to serve multiple purposes: a free public library, meeting hall for the local Grand Army of the Republic (GAR) lodge, and most importantly, a memorial to honor the Civil War soldiers and sailors of Milford and nearby Hopedale. As a true Memorial Hall, the building features cannons in the front yard and on its facade, carved brownstone panels inscribed “Farragut” and “Grant” after Civil War generals, David Farragut and Ulysses S. Grant. Inside, the main staircase features the names of iconic Civil War battles and the entry features large marble panels with the list of local men who fought and died to fight for the nation. The library moved out of the building in 1986 when the current library was built behind Memorial Hall, and since then, the space has been occupied by the Milford Historical Commission as a local history museum space.
Buildings of New England 