It’s been the town hall, a courthouse, movie theater, and gym, and it’s currently the Walpole police station. Now, the future of the historic building in the center of downtown is up in the air again.

One possibility is moving out the police and moving in the fire department.

If that doesn’t fly, the town should consider “making the building available to a private developer for commercial or retail use,” according to a proposed master plan for Walpole’s municipal properties.

The Walpole Historical Commission is trying to raise awareness of the structure for its preservation.

The building was constructed in the early 1880s, and its original clock still works, requiring manual winding once a week. The now empty bellfry once contained a bell, which disappeared decades ago.

The clock was installed in 1881 by the Howard Co. of Boston.

Pictured: Former town building superintendent Jim Clerici inspects the mechanical clock mechanism inside the tower..

The building is the town's most prominent historical asset and contains two large tablets (pictured) commemorating its veterans from the Civil War.

Mike Amaral, chairman of the Walpole Historical Commission, shows off a tablet commemorating Civil War veterans.

Amaral points to what was the original ceiling area to a large meeting hall. It has since been divided into two floors to accomodate offices and radio equipment.

The Walpole Historical Commission advocates for the preservation, protection, and development of the historic building.

The commission is also working to commemorate the sesquicentennial (150th anniversary) of the Civil War and the contributions made by Walpole residents.

Pictured: Walpole native Henry Godbold was wounded by rebel cannonball and died in a Washington hospital during the Civil War.