The foundation stone for the town hall was laid by mayor M. McMahon on 18 December 1880, with W. H. Pigott MLA opening proceedings.

[2] The Italianate structure[3] was designed by Thomas Rowe, and the completed building was officially opened by the mayor, John Gelding, on 19 April 1882.

The building, of brick on stone foundations, was completed in eighteen months, and included a library, masonic meeting room, caretaker's residence and on the upper floor a hall capable of seating 700 people, with a large stage and various ante-rooms, approached by three staircases.

[6] The hall is of interest to aficionados of Gilbert and Sullivan, as the site of Australia's first production of Ruddigore, by the Petersham Choral Society, on 4–7 August 1908.

[9][10] The Town Hall was first listed in 2001 under the Marrickville Local Environment Plan (updated 2011) as "a good example of Art Deco civic architecture of the late 1930s.