Town hall painting at Salem museum

SALEM — A painting of Salem’s former Town Hall by John Swenningson now hangs in the Salem Historical Society Museum.

The painting, titled “Town Hall 1847-1951,” had been completed before the building was razed in 1951. It hung for many years in Farmers Bank, now Chase Bank.

Swenningson reportedly sketched the building on a masonite board in 1947 and later finished the painting in oil. It was first sold to Roland W. Webber, then vice president of the Deming Co. Farmers Bank purchased the painting from Webber.

There are several paintings by Swenningson in the area, including the First Baptist Church, Christ Mission in Cleveland, Spread Eagle Tavern in Hanoverton and Hanoverton Historical Society Museum. The society plans to feature a show this summer of works by Swenningson. Anyone with information on other works for the display is asked to contact the museum at (330) 337-8514 or historicalsociety@salemohio.com.