History
Rouss City Hall was built in 1901 for City of Winchester government offices and named after benefactor Charles Broadway Rouss. However, the upper two floors were originally dedicated to non-government uses. This included a beautiful Auditorium and the Masonic Lodge. The Auditorium had a seating capacity of 770 including the main floor, the gallery, and the four opera boxes, one stacked over another on each side of the stage. Live shows included performances by Mary Pickford and John Philip Sousa. The only feature still remaining from the Auditorium is a recess in the ceiling. Major renovations in 1986 created much needed office space and a large Exhibit Hall on the upper two floors of City Hall. Rouss City Hall was renovated again in 2017-2018 to improve customer service and preserve the integrity of the historic building. The plans call for the renovations to be very sympathetic to the historic fabric of the building and exposed many previously hidden original architectural features.
Specialties
The City of Winchester, VA local government provides quality public services to the Winchester community.