City Hall is a historic city hall in Chicopee, Massachusetts. Located in the heart of Chicopee at Market Square, the building (built 1871) is a strongly Italianate structure, with a 147ft tower modeled on that of the Palazzo Vecchio in Florence, Italy. It was designed by Charles Edward Parker.History and architectureChicopee purchased land from the Ames Manufacturing Company in 1869 as a site for its new city hall, and a committee of leading citizens was established to oversee its design and construction. The committee selected Charles E. Parker of Boston to design the new building, and construction took place in 1871. Parker's design was modelled on the Palazzo Vecchio, the historic town hall of Florence in Italy; the building was dedicated on December 21, 1871.By far the most prominent feature of the building is its 147ft tower, which echoes that of its Florentine inspiration, and is topped by a golden eagle statue weighing 54lb and sporting a 7ft wingspan. The tower houses a bell, which was historically used on public occasions and to announce fire alarms. A clock mechanism was added in 1888, with faces on three of the tower's four sides.
