Common Council Minute Book, Volume 8, 1856-1860

The City Council Minute Books, 1816-1906, contain 27 handwritten volumes of meeting minutes for the Select and Common Councils. Of the 27 books, 12 relate to the Common Council and 11 relate to the Select Council. The remainder of the books detail meeting notes from Special Committees.

Topics covered in the books range from general meeting notes, legislation, roll calls of the council members and other city business. Within the Special Committee volumes, topics discussed include street repaving, the Carnegie library, and bridge construction, including a special committee for a bridge over the Monongahela River.

The records are arranged chronologically. Additional attachments and clippings found within the volumes have been placed in folders. The collection will be most productively used in conjunction with RG-01-002, City Council Records, which contain communications either sent to or received by the Select and Common City Councils from c.1800-1859, as well as drafts of legislation and other orders of business.