This attractive town hall is an enduring symbol of the development of local government in the 19th century. Erected in 1856, it is an early example of a combination town hall and market, an arrangement popular in Ontario before 1870. The noted Kingston architect Edward Horsey was responsible for the building's simple, yet stately design in the Neoclassical style, a suitable civic image enhanced by the addition of the imposing portico in 1928. With its dual function, its prominent location, and its use of classical detailing, this structure has remained a centre of community life.