The Eaton County Courthouse stands in Charlotte southwest of Lansing. Construction started on it in 1883 and took nearly two years to build. about a decade later, On July 4, 1894 fire destroyed a large portion of the courthouse but it was rebuilt to its original plans. It still stands today in Charlotte and is am amazing looking building.
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One of the oldest courthouse buildings in Michigan is in Berrien Springs Michigan. Shortly after it was constructed in 1839, problems with the foundation were discovered. The building was raised and a lower level was added along with the square supports for the columns.
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This magnificent looking building stands in downtown Howell. It is the Livingston County Courthouse built in 1889. Discussions were made in 1970 to replace it with a new modern building but it was decided to renovate it instead. I am sure it is a challenge making an old building work with modern utilities and technology. but it is nice to see historic buildings being used and continue to remind people of the past.
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The town of Bessemer is in the southwest part of the Upper Peninsula. As mining production increased so did the population of the town. In 1887, Bessemer became the Gogebic County Seat and this sandstone courthouse constructed that year at a cost of $50,000.
The Upper Peninsula had several sandstone quarries and in the late 1800s the stone was popular in the construction of buildings and large houses. The stone was easy to cut into large squares and also well suited for carvers to create antiquate designs. In the early 1900s sandstone fell out of favor for other materials such as brick and steel. The historic Gogebic sandstone courthouse still stands as a reminder of a time when stone from the U.P. was used to construct magnificent buildings.
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This old courthouse stands in the middle of Bellaire, the historical marker in front of it tells a little bit of its history and reads:
The first pioneers of Antrim County settled along Grand Traverse Bay near Elk Rapids in the 1850s. Later settlers moved inland, and urged that the county seat be transferred from the bay shore closer to the geographical center of the county. After a close election in 1879, Keno, later named Bellaire, became the new county seat. Thus began a bitter controversy which was appealed to the state Supreme Court and lasted for twenty-five years. Although the courthouse square was purchased as early as 1879 the county building was not constructed until 1904-05 after another vote. Designed by Jens C. Peterson, and built by Waterman and Price, the courthouse cost $30,000.
If you are near Mancelona which is close to Bellaire, Lost In Michigan books are available at Rooted. A Michigan products gift shop next to the Iron Skillet Restaurant. You can get a good meal at the restaurant and pick up a copy of Lost In Michigan. You can find more about Rooted at their website by clicking HERE You can find the website for the Iron Skillet HERE
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The Hillsdale County Courthouse stands in downtown Hillsdale. The three-story sandstone building was constructed in 1898. The county seat was originally in nearby Jonesville but it was decided to move the seat to Hillsdale because it was more centrally located.
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This impressive-looking courthouse with its clock tower stands in the northern Lower Peninsula town of Onaway. It was constructed in 1908 by Meritt Chandler and donated to the county in the hopes to take the county seat away from Rogers City. Merritt Chandler was born in 1843 near Adrian, Michigan. He made a fortune in lumbering and building roads. In 1886 he platted the village of Onaway. By 1903, Onaway had a population of 3000, making it the largest settlement in Presque Isle County. He was unable to have the county seat moved to his new courthouse so in 1911 a drive started to create a new county for Onaway, to be called “Forest County.” The proposal failed, but as a compromise, county court sessions were alternated between Rogers City and Onaway until the 1940s when it remained in Rogers City.
In the late 1990s, restoration efforts began, and over $1 million was spent to improve the heating and electrical system, replace the roof and windows, refinish the interior, and install a clock in the clocktower. As of 2009, the building houses the Onaway Branch of the Presque Isle District Library, the Onaway Historical Museum, the Chamber of Commerce, and offices of the City of Onaway.
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Sault Ste. Marie is the oldest city in Michigan and it is no surprise that one of the oldest courthouses in the Great Lakes State can be found there. The Chippewa County Courthouse was built in 1877. The Second Empire building was constructed with limestone from Drummond Island and trimmed in red sandstone extracted from the second canal. The walls of this historic building are two feet thick in some places. The old courthouse was renovated in 1989 and a wooden statue of Lady Justice stands in the clock tower watching the ships pass through the Soo Locks which are a few blocks away.
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The Lapeer County Courthouse was built by Alvin N. Hart, one of Lapeer’s first settlers. Born in Connecticut in 1804, Hart came to Michigan in 1831 and platted the village of Lapeer two years later. He also served as sheriff and as a member of both houses of the state legislature.
Although the date in the pediment, 1839, marks the construction of the county’s first courthouse, this building was erected in 1845-46 and bought by the county in 1853. It is an impressive Greek Revival structure. The two-story exterior is of native white pine, supported by a brick foundation. The facade of the full-height portico has four fluted Doric columns supporting the pediment. A three-tiered tower rises at the rear of the building.
The Lapeer County Courthouse is the oldest courthouse in Michigan which serves its original purpose.
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The Barry County courthouse stands in Hastings and was constructed between 1892 and 1894. After a devastating fire swept through the town of Hastings it was decided that a brick courthouse would be less susceptible to fire and would not burn as easily as the previous courthouse even though it was spared by the fire.
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