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{{Infobox NRHP
{{inprogress}}
] | name = Gibson County Courthouse
| nrhp_type =
⚫ Since ], three separate buildings have served as the '''Gibson County Courthouse''' in ], ]. The current building, constructed in ], is widely regarded as one of the most outstanding examples of ] architecture in the ], and was the model for ] ''Original Snow Village Courthouse''.
| image = Gibson County Courthouse in Princeton.jpg
| caption = Southern and Western fronts of the courthouse
| location = Town Square, ]
| coordinates = {{coord|38|21|19.93|N|87|34|5.27|W|display=inline,title}}
| locmapin = Indiana#USA
| built = 1883
| architect = ]
| architecture = ]
| added = September 27, 1984
| area = {{convert|2|acre}}
| refnum = 84001038 <ref name="nris">{{NRISref|2010a}}</ref>
}}


⚫ Since 1815, three separate buildings have served as the '''Gibson County Courthouse''' in ], ], United States. The current building was constructed in 1884 and is located at the intersection of ] and ]. It is an example of ] architecture and was the model for ] ''Original Snow Village Courthouse''.<ref>{{cite web
== 1815 Courthouse ==
|url=http://www.dept56retirees.com/images/sv/words/courthouse.html
Following Gibson County's founding in ], sessions of the Gibson County Court of Common Pleas were typically held in the ]'s own residence. Realizing that this arrangement could not last indefinitely, in 1814 the Gibson County Commissioners authorized the purchase of 160 ]s of land from the ] government which, along with an 80 acre donation from a local citizen, would serve as a county seat. Two acres of land within the town, which was eventually known as Princeton, were reserved for the courthouse property.
|title=Courthouse Snow Village
|publisher=Dept. 56 Retirees, Inc.
|accessdate=2011-10-20
}}</ref> Gibson County's Courthouse is of very similar design to the ] Courthouse in ].<ref name="SHAARD">{{cite web| url = https://secure.in.gov/apps/dnr/shaard/welcome.html| title = Indiana State Historic Architectural and Archaeological Research Database (SHAARD) | publisher = Department of Natural Resources, Division of Historic Preservation and Archaeology | format = Searchable database| accessdate = 2016-04-01}} ''Note:'' This includes {{cite web| url =https://secure.in.gov/apps/dnr/shaard/r/1f6d2/N/Gibson_CO_Courthouse_Nom.pdf| title = National Register of Historic Places Inventory Nomination Form: Gibson County Courthouse | accessdate = 2016-04-01| author =Timothy A. Henning| format = PDF| date=February 1984}} and Accompanying photographs.</ref>


==History==
After the land was acquired, the Commissioners let contracts with local craftsmen to construct the courthouse. Construction began on September 1, ]. When the building was completed in ], it was two stories tall and measured 33' X 40'. The 1815 Courthouse remained in service until ].
The residence of Judge William Harrington was first used to conduct court business. Work on the first courthouse began on September 1, 1814. The building was constructed of bricks which were made nearby on the public square. It had two floors and measured 33 feet by 40 feet. It was first occupied in June 1815.<ref>Stormont 1914, pp. 81–82.</ref>


The second courthouse was also made of brick and was completed in 1843 at a cost of about $9,000.<ref>Stormont 1914, p. 82.</ref>{{#tag:ref|A $9,000 capital expense in 1843 would be roughly equivalent to $5,000,000 in 2010.<ref name="Williamson">Williamson, Samuel H. (April 2010). ''Seven Ways to Compute the Relative Value of a U.S. Dollar Amount, 1774 to present''. . Calculations made using Nominal GDP Per Capita, a measure of capital intensivity, using "the 'average' per-person output of the economy in the prices of the current year." This is a measure of the amount of capital and volume of labor required to reproduce the work over varying production methods, but assuming that money represents a proportion of the economy.</ref>|group="n"}}
== 1843 Courthouse ==
As Gibson County grew, the original courthouse became insufficient to meet the demands placed on it, so in 1841 the County Commissioners developed specifications for a new building. The second courthouse, which was completed in ], was a square brick structure. However, it was plagued by problems, including leaks and poor ventilation; additionally, it did not meet the standards for space and furnishings required by an ] state law.


The third (and current) courthouse was built on the site of the previous building. The cornerstone was laid on June 17, 1884, accompanied by a Masonic ceremony attended by several thousand people.<ref>Stormont 1914, p. 83.</ref> The ] of ] designed the Romanesque Revival building,<ref name="Counts and Dilts 1991, p. 58">Counts and Dilts 1991, p. 58.</ref> which was constructed by local contractor Joseph Miller of ] at a cost of $188,661.<ref>Stormont 1914, p. 83. Counts and Dilts 1991, p. 58, gives the cost as $118,661.</ref>{{#tag:ref|A $188,000 capital expense in 1884 would be roughly equivalent to $41,700,000 in 2010.<ref name="Williamson" />|group="n"}} The two-story building has a full basement and is made of red brick trimmed with stone; the interior is trimmed with black walnut and oak, and has mosaic tile floors.<ref name="Counts and Dilts 1991, p. 58"/>
== 1884 Courthouse ==

Due to the aforementioned inadequacies, the Gibson County Commissioners contracted with local builder Joseph Miller to build a third courthouse for the county in ]. Construction began in October of that year, and the site soon proved to be a major point of interest for local residents. A dedication ceremony took place on ], ] and included a parade with veterans' bands and ]s.
The trial of ] (also known as "Mad Dog Irvin") was conducted here in 1955.<ref name="Counts and Dilts 1991, p. 58"/>

In 2006 and 2007, an aesthetic renovation project began. The exterior walls and corner towers as well as the central bell tower were repainted, and a gazebo donated by ] was placed on the courthouse lawn.{{Citation needed|date=October 2011}}

== Notes ==
{{Reflist|group="n"}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

===Bibliography===
* {{cite book
|title=History of Gibson County, Indiana
|chapter=Chapter V. County Government
|publisher=B. F. Bowen and Company
|location=Indianapolis
|year=1914
|first=Gil R.
|last=Stormont
|pages=81–83
|url=https://archive.org/stream/historyofgibsonc00stor#page/70/mode/2up
}}
* {{cite book
|last = Counts
|first = Will
|author2=Jon Dilts
|title = The 92 Magnificent Indiana Courthouses
|publisher = Indiana University Press
|year = 1991
|location = Bloomington, Indiana
|isbn = 978-0-253-33638-5
}}

===Gallery===
<gallery>
File:Gibson County, IN Courthouse - Southeast Corner & Civil War Monument.jpg|Southeast Corner and Civil War monument.
File:Gibson County, IN Courthouse - Northwest Corner and Gazebo.jpg|Northwest Corner and Gazebo
File:Gibson County Courthouse.jpg|Eastern face on Main Street
</gallery>

==External links==
{{commonscat|Gibson County Courthouse, Princeton, Indiana}}
* from the Ball State University Digital Media Repository

{{National Register of Historic Places in Indiana}}
{{Gibson County, Indiana Points of Interest}}

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Latest revision as of 23:42, 12 August 2023

United States historic place
Gibson County Courthouse
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
Southern and Western fronts of the courthouse
Gibson County Courthouse (Indiana) is located in IndianaGibson County Courthouse (Indiana)Show map of IndianaGibson County Courthouse (Indiana) is located in the United StatesGibson County Courthouse (Indiana)Show map of the United States
LocationTown Square, Princeton, Indiana
Coordinates38°21′19.93″N 87°34′5.27″W / 38.3555361°N 87.5681306°W / 38.3555361; -87.5681306
Area2 acres (0.81 ha)
Built1883
ArchitectMcDonald Brothers
Architectural styleRomanesque Revival
NRHP reference No.84001038
Added to NRHPSeptember 27, 1984

Since 1815, three separate buildings have served as the Gibson County Courthouse in Princeton, Gibson County, Indiana, United States. The current building was constructed in 1884 and is located at the intersection of Indiana State Road 64 and Indiana State Road 65. It is an example of Romanesque Revival architecture and was the model for Department 56's Original Snow Village Courthouse. Gibson County's Courthouse is of very similar design to the Johnson County Courthouse in Franklin, Indiana.

History

The residence of Judge William Harrington was first used to conduct court business. Work on the first courthouse began on September 1, 1814. The building was constructed of bricks which were made nearby on the public square. It had two floors and measured 33 feet by 40 feet. It was first occupied in June 1815.

The second courthouse was also made of brick and was completed in 1843 at a cost of about $9,000.

The third (and current) courthouse was built on the site of the previous building. The cornerstone was laid on June 17, 1884, accompanied by a Masonic ceremony attended by several thousand people. The McDonald Brothers of Louisville, Kentucky designed the Romanesque Revival building, which was constructed by local contractor Joseph Miller of Washington, Indiana at a cost of $188,661. The two-story building has a full basement and is made of red brick trimmed with stone; the interior is trimmed with black walnut and oak, and has mosaic tile floors.

The trial of Leslie Irvin (also known as "Mad Dog Irvin") was conducted here in 1955.

In 2006 and 2007, an aesthetic renovation project began. The exterior walls and corner towers as well as the central bell tower were repainted, and a gazebo donated by Toyota Motor Manufacturing Indiana was placed on the courthouse lawn.

Notes

  1. A $9,000 capital expense in 1843 would be roughly equivalent to $5,000,000 in 2010.
  2. A $188,000 capital expense in 1884 would be roughly equivalent to $41,700,000 in 2010.

References

  1. "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. July 9, 2010.
  2. "Courthouse Snow Village". Dept. 56 Retirees, Inc. Retrieved 2011-10-20.
  3. "Indiana State Historic Architectural and Archaeological Research Database (SHAARD)" (Searchable database). Department of Natural Resources, Division of Historic Preservation and Archaeology. Retrieved 2016-04-01. Note: This includes Timothy A. Henning (February 1984). "National Register of Historic Places Inventory Nomination Form: Gibson County Courthouse" (PDF). Retrieved 2016-04-01. and Accompanying photographs.
  4. Stormont 1914, pp. 81–82.
  5. Stormont 1914, p. 82.
  6. ^ Williamson, Samuel H. (April 2010). Seven Ways to Compute the Relative Value of a U.S. Dollar Amount, 1774 to present. MeasuringWorth. Calculations made using Nominal GDP Per Capita, a measure of capital intensivity, using "the 'average' per-person output of the economy in the prices of the current year." This is a measure of the amount of capital and volume of labor required to reproduce the work over varying production methods, but assuming that money represents a proportion of the economy.
  7. Stormont 1914, p. 83.
  8. ^ Counts and Dilts 1991, p. 58.
  9. Stormont 1914, p. 83. Counts and Dilts 1991, p. 58, gives the cost as $118,661.

Bibliography

  • Stormont, Gil R. (1914). "Chapter V. County Government". History of Gibson County, Indiana. Indianapolis: B. F. Bowen and Company. pp. 81–83.
  • Counts, Will; Jon Dilts (1991). The 92 Magnificent Indiana Courthouses. Bloomington, Indiana: Indiana University Press. ISBN 978-0-253-33638-5.

Gallery

  • Southeast Corner and Civil War monument. Southeast Corner and Civil War monument.
  • Northwest Corner and Gazebo Northwest Corner and Gazebo
  • Eastern face on Main Street Eastern face on Main Street

External links

U.S. National Register of Historic Places in Indiana
Topics

Lists
by county
Other lists
Points of interest in Gibson County, Indiana
Categories: