The Edmond Town Hall Board of Managers is expanding its annual celebration of Mary Hawley’s birthday to include tours of the historic building.

The public is invited to visit Edmond Town Hall, at 45 Main Street, on Sunday, August 28, to learn more about the building and the woman who donated it. There will be five 30-minute tours on the hour starting at 1 pm, with the last tour starting at 5.

Mary Hawley’s generosity through her many gifts to Newtown, including Edmond Town Hall and other buildings and monuments, has made her a local hero. The tours will focus on some facts about her life as well as building spaces that the public does not usually get to see, including the infamous “jail cell” and some of the dressing rooms.

Tours will also include interesting information about The Alexandria Room, the lower meeting room, and other building spaces.

Jennifer Guman, chairman of the Board of Managers, the body of elected officials who have oversight of the building and staff, said the staff is doing things a little differently this year.

“In the past we focused on providing information in the Mary Hawley Memorial Room on the exact date of her birthday, but this year we are organizing a more active event with tours on the Sunday after her birthday,” she explained.

Each tour will last about 30 minutes. Comfortable shoes are recommended since one area of the tour is accessible only by stairs and the building has stone floors.

Tours will begin in the manager’s office lobby. ETH Operations Manager Sheila Torres will lead the tours.

Contact Torres at 203-270-4285 or manager@edmondtownhall.org for additional information.

Edmond Town Hall is an arts, entertainment, and events venue with the mission to enrich the community by providing a place for generations of residents and neighbors to enjoy arts, social, civic, sports, and milestone events and activities. The building, listed on the National Register of Historic Places, was gifted to the community in 1930 by Hawley.

Read more about Mary Hawley and her gifts to Newtown here:

The ABCs Of Newtown: H Is For (Mary) Hawley, part one

here:

The ABCs Of Newtown: H Is For (Mary) Hawley, part two

and here:

Details From Mary Hawley's Will