The Edmond Town Hall Board of Managers will host an open house in honor of Mary Elizabeth Hawley's birthday on Monday, August 22, from 10 am to 8 pm, at Edmond Town Hall, 45 Main Street. The public is invited to stop by the Mary Hawley Memorial Room to sign a guest book, partake in refreshments, and even view a history of the historic building.

A brief history of the former town hall building will be on display at this year's celebration. Guests will be invited to write comments on a white board in response to the question: "What makes the Edmond Town Hall special?"

The building that Miss Hawley donated to the people of Newtown continues to serve as the heart of the community 85 years after its construction. She had the foresight to include a proscenium theater, office spaces, and other elegant and useful gathering spaces that, along with a modest annual disbursement from a dedicated trust fund, have allowed the Town to generate most, though not all, of the revenue needed to maintain the building.

Newtown's future benefactress was born on August 22, 1857, the first child of Marcus C. Hawley and Sarah Booth. Miss Hawley moved to Newtown with her parents at age 15, after the death of her maternal grandfather, C.H. Booth.

In addition to her gift of Edmond Town Hall (named for her maternal great-grandfather), Miss Hawley is best known for her generosity to the community through such generous gifts as Hawley School (for which she donated the funds), Cyrenius H. Booth Library (named for her her maternal grandfather), as well as the Soldiers and Sailors monument located at the head of Main Street. She also made generous gifts to many other organizations in surrounding communities.

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