Courthouse Square Museum

Last updated

Eaton County Courthouse
County Courthouse Museum Charlotte.jpg
USA Michigan location map.svg
Red pog.svg
Usa edcp location map.svg
Red pog.svg
Courthouse Square Museum
Interactive map showing the location for Courthouse Square Museum
LocationW. Lawrence Ave. at Cochran and Bostwick Sts., Charlotte, Michigan
Coordinates 42°33′52″N84°50′12″W / 42.56444°N 84.83667°W / 42.56444; -84.83667
Arealess than one acre
Built1883 (1883)
Built byGibbs & Co.
ArchitectMiles, Cramer & Horn
Part of Charlotte Central Historic District (ID100002684)
NRHP reference No. 71000389 [1]
Added to NRHPApril 2, 1971

The Courthouse Square Museum is a former government building, and current historical museum, located at 100 West Lawrence Avenue in Charlotte, Michigan. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1971.

Contents

History

Eaton County was organized in 1837. The county seat was originally at Bellevue, Michigan but in 1840 was moved to Charlotte. County offices were temporarily housed in the Eagle Hotel in Bellevue until 1845, when the first courthouse, a small frame structure, was constructed. By 1880, growth in the county had outstripped the capacity of the courthouse, and in 1882 the county decided to construct a new building. The committee in charge hired architects Miles, Cramer & Horn of Toledo, Ohio to design a new building, and contractors, also of Toledo, to construct it. The cornerstone was laid in 1883, and the building was completed in 1885. [2]

In 1895, a fire gutted much of the inside of the building, and the interior was reconstructed. The building was used by the county government until 1976 when a new county complex located one mile north of downtown Charlotte was constructed. Restoration of the courthouse began in the 1980s, [3] and in 1993, the Courthouse Square Association took over the maintenance and care of the building and surrounding grounds. The upper two floors of the 1885 Courthouse are a public museum and rental venue. The ground floor contains office and retail spaces. [4]

Description

The old Eaton County Courthouse is a three-story structure with a hip roof, with the first floor faced in rough fieldstone and the upper floors in red brick with stone accents. The entrances are approached via stairways to the second level. Entryways and windows on the second floor are in round-headed openings, while the windows on the third floor are in square-headed openings, save the windows in the center bay of each facade. Pavilions projects on the third level from each side of the building, with pediments and entablatures above-containing carving. In the center of the roof is a three-stage cupola with a square base, columned open belfry, and octagonal dome. A statue of justice tops the dome. [2]

Related Research Articles

The McLean County Courthouse and Square is located in downtown Bloomington, Illinois. The site is on the National Register of Historic Places and encompasses the old McLean County Courthouse and the courthouse-facing sides of three downtown blocks. All 4 floors of the building are now occupied by the McLean County Museum of History for exhibits, collections storage, and offices. The historic buildings at the other side of the square were destroyed by fire in the 1980s. The Square is bordered by four Bloomington streets: Main Street, Center Street, Jefferson Street and Washington Street. The site was home to three previous courthouses before the current one was completed in 1903. The first courthouse at the site was built in 1831, and the second in 1836. The third was built in 1868, but suffered major damage from fire on June 19, 1900.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Belmont County Courthouse</span> Local government building in the United States

The Belmont County Courthouse is located at 101 West Main Street in St. Clairsville, Ohio, United States. It sits on the highest point in the St. Clairsville area and is thus visible from Interstate 70 and many other points in the Ohio Valley. It is a contributing property in the St. Clairsville Historic District, which was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1969.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Allen County Courthouse (Ohio)</span> Local government building in the United States

The Allen County Courthouse is an historic courthouse building located at the corner of North Main Street & East North Street in Lima, Ohio, United States. In 1974, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Auglaize County Courthouse</span> Local government building in the United States

The Auglaize County Courthouse is located between West Mechanic, Willipie, West Pearl and Perry Streets in downtown Wapakoneta, Ohio, United States. Completed in 1894, it is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jackson County Courthouse (Bellevue, Iowa)</span> United States historic place

The Jackson County Courthouse, also known as Old Jackson County Courthouse or Bellevue Elementary School, is a historic building and former courthouse for Jackson County, Iowa, United States. It is located in Bellevue and was built in the vernacular Greek Revival style in 1845. It currently serves as a portion of Bellevue Elementary School, the oldest functioning school in the state of Iowa.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fulton County Courthouse (Ohio)</span> Local government building in the United States

The Fulton County Courthouse, built in 1870, is a historic courthouse building located in Wauseon, Ohio. On May 7, 1973, it was added to the National Register.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Carroll County Courthouse (Ohio)</span> Local government building in the United States

The Carroll County Courthouse is located in Carrollton, Ohio, and is the second for the county. It was designed by architect Frank Weary in the Second Empire style. The courthouse was placed on the National Register of Historic Places on 1974-10-22.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fayette County Courthouse (Ohio)</span> Local government building in the United States

The Fayette County Courthouse is a historic courthouse building located at 110 East Court Street in Washington Court House, Ohio. On July 2, 1973, it was added to the National Register.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Crawford County Courthouse (Ohio)</span> Local government building in the United States

The Courthouse of Crawford County, Ohio, is a landmark of the county seat, Bucyrus, Ohio. The courthouse was built in 1854 on East Mansfield Street by architect Harlan Jones and was added to the National Register of Historic Places on 1985-02-28 as a part of the Bucyrus Commercial Historic District.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Starke County Courthouse</span> United States historic place

The Starke County Courthouse is a historic courthouse located at Knox, Starke County, Indiana. It was designed by the architectural firm of Wing & Mahurin, of Fort Wayne and built in 1897. It is a three-story, Richardsonian Romanesque style Indiana Oolitic limestone and terra cotta building. It has a Greek cross-plan and is topped by a tiled hipped roof. It features a 138 feet tall clock tower located at the roof's center.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Marshall County Courthouse (Iowa)</span> United States historic place

The Marshall County Courthouse is located in Marshalltown, Iowa, United States. The current building was completed in 1886 to replace an earlier building. The courthouse is a dominant landmark in downtown Marshalltown. It was individually listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1972. In 2002 it was listed as a contributing property in the Marshalltown Downtown Historic District. It is the third building the county has used for a courthouse and county business.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lenawee County Courthouse</span> United States historic place

The Lenawee County Courthouse is a county courthouse located at 309 North Main Street (M-52) in the city of Adrian in central Lenawee County, Michigan. It was designated as a Michigan Historic Site on November 14, 1974, and later added to the National Register of Historic Places on February 28, 1991. The Lenawee County Courthouse is located at the corner of M-52 and West Front Street. West Front Street also carries the M-52 signage as it turns to form the northern edge of the U.S. Route 223 business loop around the Downtown Adrian Commercial Historic District.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Poweshiek County Courthouse</span> Historic courthouse in Iowa, United States

The Poweshiek County Courthouse in Montezuma, Iowa, United States, was built in 1859. It was individually listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1981 as a part of the County Courthouses in Iowa Thematic Resource. In 2012 it was listed as a contributing property in the Montezuma Downtown Historic District. The courthouse is the second building the county has used for court functions and county administration.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Franklin County Courthouse (Iowa)</span> United States historic place

The Franklin County Courthouse in Hampton, Iowa, United States was built in 1891. It was individually listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1976 as a part of the County Courthouses in Iowa Thematic Resource. In 2003 it was included as a contributing property in the Hampton Double Square Historic District. The courthouse is the third facility to house court functions and county administration.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lucas County Courthouse (Iowa)</span> United States historic place

The Lucas County Courthouse located in Chariton, Iowa, United States, was built in 1893. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1981 as a part of the County Courthouses in Iowa Thematic Resource. In 2014 it was included as a contributing property in the Lucas County Courthouse Square Historic District. The courthouse is the third building the county has used for court functions and county administration.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Page County Courthouse (Iowa)</span> United States historic place

The Page County Courthouse in Clarinda, Iowa, United States, was built in 1887. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1981 as a part of the County Courthouses in Iowa Thematic Resource. The courthouse is the fourth building the county has used for court functions and county administration.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Taylor County Courthouse (Iowa)</span> United States historic place

The Taylor County Courthouse in Bedford, Iowa, United States, was built in 1892. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1981 as a part of the County Courthouses in Iowa Thematic Resource. The courthouse was the second building the county has used for court functions and county administration.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vermontville Chapel and Academy</span> United States historic place

The Vermontville Academy, also known as the First Congregational Chapel, is a building in Vermontville, Michigan, located at 106 North Main Street. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1972, and is part of the Historic American Buildings Survey. It now serves as the Vermontville Historical Museum.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cheshire County Courthouse</span> United States historic place

The Cheshire County Courthouse, located at 12 Court Street in Keene, New Hampshire, is the center of government of Cheshire County, New Hampshire. Completed in 1859 to a design by Gridley James Fox Bryant, it is believed to be the oldest courthouse in regular use in the state. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places on December 13, 1978.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ionia County Courthouse</span> United States historic place

The Ionia County Courthouse is a government building located on East Main Street in Ionia, Michigan. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1979.

References

  1. "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places . National Park Service. July 9, 2010.
  2. 1 2 Jim Schutze (October 26, 1970), NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES INVENTORY- NOMINATION FORM: Eaton County Courthouse
  3. Diana Bosworth (2017). "Eaton County Directory" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on February 9, 2018. Retrieved February 9, 2018.
  4. "About Us". Courthouse Square Association. Archived from the original on February 9, 2018. Retrieved February 9, 2018.