Taking down the makeshift sheetrock and panel­ing in the Old Town Hall reveals the beautiful, origi­nal architecture and, for anyone who listens, there is the distinct sound of history whispering a sigh of relief.

And, there are wonderful surprises. Some of the original 1917 construction includes the old-fashioned push button light switches and dramatic molding set against high ceilings. There is a clear marking on the floor in the basement where the po­lice reception desk once stood, and an old generator that powered the stately municipal hall is dirty and dusty, but intact. As part of the research done on the building, the Town learned that the old jail cell doors, that were once in the basement, were donated to the SuffolkCounty Police Museum. Town officials are working on a proposal to have them returned in exchange for the old cell doors that were salvaged by the Village of Amityville when its police building was torn down last year. If the exchange moves forward, the Town will restore the doors, which date back to the 1870s, and put them back into the space that is clearly de­fined

by markings, which can still be seen on the stone floor.

The original jail cells came from the fire depart­ment building that was located on Grove Place in Babylon, where the American Legion Hall now stands. A portion of that building was used by the Town constables in the late 19th Century, and the three holding cells were located there. When the Town Hall building was constructed, they were relo­cated to the basement there. As each wall comes down, and more and more of the building is revealed, the integrity of the original de­sign becomes apparent. It is this historic design that the Town of Babylon is looking to preserve. In the midst of the process, Babylon Town Supervisor Steve Bellone said that the work will be done in time for a June celebration, which will also commemorate the 100th anniver­sary

of the trolley that allowed travelers to go from Huntington to Babylon.

Almost all of the work is being down by Town em­ployees, under the direction of the Town’s Historian Thomas B. Smith, its Historical Archivist Mary Cas­cone, and its architect Joel C. Snodgrass of Historic Construction Management Corp. “They did pretty good building this place,” said the project’s architect. “They had grand plans that were later scaled back, likely because of cost, but it was built to last and once we restore it, this building will last an­other 100 years.” “This is Babylon’s history—the people’s history—and we are very fortunate to have had the opportunity to bring it back into the public’s hands,” said Bellone, who made purchasing the building one of his priorities when first elected more than a decade ago. The building was used as Babylon Town Hall and the Town’s Police Headquarters from the 1920s until the 1950s, prior to the establishment of the County Police Department. Later it was purchased and used as a photography studio for its owner, Bill Higgins. It was dedicated as an historic site in 2005.

When the Town experienced major growth fol­lowing World War II, the need for more space at its Town Hall became apparent. The Town Board pro­posed a referendum asking if the Town should build a new facility. Babylon Village had become a hub of business and legal activity as a result of having the Town Hall in the middle of its Village, and Babylon Village was the only Village or hamlet in the Town to reject construction of a new building. All others approved the new building, which was eventually built where Town Hall stands today at 200 E. Sunrise Highway, North Lindenhurst.

Little in terms of major renovation or construc­tion was done to the building during the time that Higgins owned it, which helped to preserve its in­tegrity, and its history, said Bellone. As each wall comes down, more of that history is unveiled and it is that history that the Town will document in a museum and as part of an interactive walking tour through the building. In the meantime, Town officials are asking that anyone who has photographs of or other memora­bilia from the building and who would like to lend or donate it to the new museum to contact Cascone at 631-893-2119.