Considerable alterations have occurred at City Hall in the 100 years since it was built. The top photo shows the building at Crawford and Walnut streets as it appears today with a modern Chevrolet pickup passing by. The photo at right shows the building as it appeared shortly after it was completed with what is probably an early-model Ford passing. On the building itself, the angel heralds on the roof, in the older photo, were blown away when a tornado hit Vicksburg Dec. 5, 1953, and the colonnade and balcony were enclosed for additional space on the Walnut Street side. The cornerstone was laid March 29, 1902, and the building was finished in 1903 amid a controversy between the contractor, Davis Larkin Co. of Chicago, and city officials. Davis Larkin had bid $42,145 in 1901, but demanded an additional $15,000 when the building was finished in January 1903. An arbitration board granted the contractor $1,724, but city officials had to break in on April 6, 1903, so they could occupy the new City Hall. The mayor when the cornerstone was laid in 1902 was R.V. Booth, and the mayor when it was completed was W.L. Trowbridge. Members of the city council were T.M. Caughlin, D. Montgomery, M.J. Fousse, George Calder, John Walsh, D.A. Campbell and W.O. Smith. The city clerk was H.J. Trowbridge.(The Vicksburg Post/C. TODD SHERMAN)