Grand Opening on April 26, 1975
Plans for the new center were outlined in March of 1963 and an architect employed in December 1968 to design it. In November 4, 1969, the voters rejected both the new building and its location in Central Park.
For more than a year the subject of a new city building was shelved. Then on April 1971, plans were revealed for a new city building. It was reported that a representative of the architectural firm of Greubel and Saletta of Evansville had presented sketches of a proposed $750,000 city building to Fiscal Court. The rendering showed a 97 by 78 foot building with a walkway connecting it to the county courthouse. It was also noted that the existing city building had been condemned by the local fire marshal and the State Department of Public Safety for violation of 37 fire and building safety regulations.
On May 5 of that year the state said that the City must vacate City Hall or make it safe. The front steps at City Hall had to be closed as dangerous. The city officials had agreed on the construction of a new city building with a cost ceiling of $1 million.
On November 15, 1972 new building plans revealed. Plans drawn up by James O. Bethel with the assistance of City Commissioner William McClure for a 21,000 square foot three-story building with a $690,818 price tag were presented to the commission. On November 23, Bethel was hired to design the city hall. On February 6, First Street city hall site approved by Fiscal Court. Fiscal Court approved the location of the new building not less than 30 feet east of, and in line with the rear of the courthouse. At the first meeting, first approval was given to the low bid of $692,200 by Hartz-Kirkpatrick Construction Company of Owensboro for the general construction of the building. Bids for all phases of construction totaled $972,075. November 27, 1974 the name was changed to Henderson Municipal Center. March 21, 1975 the City Government moved to the new home.
After a 14 year delay, thousands of dollars worth of aborted plans and a final capital outlay slightly in excess of $1 million the Henderson Municipal Center became a reality.
