Schuyler County Courthouse
The courthouse that stands today at the corner of Congress and Lafayette is actually the third courthouse to be build in Rushville. In the 1800s, as the population of Rushville and Schuyler County continued to increase there was a need for a good courthouse. In the fall of 1826, the first courthouse in Rushville was built on the north side of the square. It was a simple, log structure, only 22' by 18', but was enough space for the time. Not long after, a Clerk's Office was built on the east side of the square. It was also log, but a bit smaller at 14' by 16'. In 1829, during a meeting of county commissioners, it was decided that the long structure serving as the courthouse was no longer adequate and better accommodations were needed. In 1831, the construction of a new courthouse, this time in the center of the square (present day Central Park) was completed. This one was made of sandstone and brick and served as the site of Lincoln's speech to Rushville in 1858. In the 1870s, it began to be seen as outdated and an "eyesore" to the community, but a proposal to build a new courthouse was voted down twice before being passed in September of 1880. It was just in time because within the next year, the courthouse in the center of the square burned down. The county board, upon voting to build a new courthouse, agreed on the figure of $40,000. The committee chosen to see its planning and construction through consisted of John C. Bagby, Edwin M. Anderson, and James DeWitt. The three men visited Monroe, Michigan and were impressed by the courthouse there. They then advised the board to contract with Thomas Keegan, who designed the courthouse of Monroe. In December of 1880, a contract was made up which would provide Keegan with a $36,000 budget for a courthouse to be completed by April of 1883. In early 1881, it was decided that the site of the courthouse would be the Beatty Lot (southwest corner of the square) rather than the center of the square. In June of 1882, the cornerstone was laid. The construction lasted approximately 16 months and used an estimated 750,000 bricks. Over the years, the courthouse has updated in many ways, though attempting to preserve its original structure and historic value. In 1896, the first telephone was installed and seven years later electric light was introduced to the building. In 1905, a fence was placed around the small courtyard in front of the building. In 1910, it was voted in favor of placing a Soldiers and Sailors Monument in the front courtyard. This statue was completed in 1912 and dedicated to all soldiers of all wars from 1812-1900. In 1976, during America's bicentennial celebration, a plaque was added to the courtyard to commemorate the Revolutionary War. In more recent years, the courthouse has undergone several renovations, including one in the 1980s and two in the past five years. The most recent of renovations addresses major issues in the foundation, among other things. The courtroom received a major makeover to return the painting on the wall to closest representation of what it would have looked like originally. |
The above video provides a look inside of the Courthouse and the monuments outside and also shows the Phoenix Opera House.
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