The Municipal Chambers was designed by James Carruthers of Glasgow. It was officially opened by His Royal Highness, the Duke of Gloucester on 20th September 1932, an event recorded by the local press as the first royal visit to the town in 315 years. The panelling and furniture was provided by well known cabinet makers Wylie and Lochhead of Glasgow. It is said that the panels were originally intended for use on the Queen Mary which was under construction at the time in Glasgow. Work had halted on the liner in December 1931 due to the Great Depression while Cunard applied to the British Government for a loan to complete the ship. The stained glass window at the rear on the ground floor was reused from an earlier Town Hall. The red sandstone for the frontage and other features of the building came from the local Locharbriggs Quarry which is famed for its weather resisting qualities. The building was used by Dumfries Town Council until local government re-organisation in 1974, when the building became the headquarters for Nithsdale District Council. In 1996 the Municipal Chambers was transferred to Dumfries and Galloway Council and it is now home to the Provost’s Office along with other council services.