Ludington became the Mason county seat in 1873, when county offices were moved from the now-vanished village of Little Sauble. At that time Ludington was the county’s most prosperous settlement. Formerly called Pere Marquette, Ludington was platted in 1867 by Milwaukee lumberman James Ludington. The town served as a shipping center for West Michigan lumber. Erected in 1893-94, this is the fourth structure to serve as Mason County’s courthouse since the county was established in 1855. Grand Rapids architect Sidney J. Osgood designed the Richardsonian Romanesque structure, which was built of Jacobsville sandstone from Houghton County in the Upper Peninsula. The tower clock was built by Nels Johnson as one of his Century tower clocks and installed in 1907. The courthouse is listed in the National Register of Historic Places.
I always marvel at the construction of these old brick buildings. I like to stop and get pics of them and I think they are a wonderful representation of a community. I wonder if the people who live near them take there beauty and impressive construction for granted.
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