The first Chicago City Hall in 1837 was in leased chambers in the Saloon Building on the corner of Lake and Clark Streets . In 1842 , the city next leased space in a building owned by Nancy Chapman , until 1848 . Old Market Hall was constructed in LaSalle Street by the city and city council business was conducted on its second floor with shops below until 1853 . A new combined city hall and county courthouse was then constructed in the public square made by Randolph , LaSalle , Washington , and Clark Streets ( this building , which no longer exists , is sometimes referred to as , '' Old Chicago Courthouse '' ) . Abraham Lincoln 's body lay in state here during his funeral services in 1865 . The courthouse bell was rung in 1871 , to raise the alarm during the Great Chicago Fire , before the hall burned to the ground . A hastily constructed hall nicknamed the ' old rookery ' was built around a water tank that survived the fire at LaSalle and Adams streets — today , that site houses the Rookery Building ( built 1888 ) . In 1885 , the city and county completed construction of a new combined building in the French Empire style at the present site ( the site of the old courthouse ) . This building was demolished and replaced in 1905 by the present and larger classical revival structure
Great Chicago Fire
Great Chicago Fire
Chicago City Hall