Until as recently as 1974 Rye was a borough and enjoyed considerable political power. The present Town Hall was erected in 1743, and this is the third building on the site. It is a splendid Georgian structure, with a grand council chamber, the walls lined with the names of all the Mayors of the town since the first in 1289. It is where you can still see some of Rye’s age-old civic customs. Even now on Mayor Making day, one of the first duties of the newly elected Mayor is to throw hot pennies from the window to the children waiting below.
When the City Hall in Rye, New York State was built, a brick was taken from this Town Hall and presented to their Mayor for inclusion in the building. In return a brick was sent to Rye, which can be seen embedded in the central arch of the Town Hall.
Today, though not on public view, the remnants of the skull of John Breads, Rye’s famous murderer, is kept safe in its gibbet cage in the attic of the Town Hall, together with the pillory and other relics of Rye’s grisly crime and punishment collection.
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