This is an old revision of this page, as edited by Kmweber (talk | contribs) at 21:31, 14 July 2007 (→1815 Courthouse: fix bad link, link years). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.
Revision as of 21:31, 14 July 2007 by Kmweber (talk | contribs) (→1815 Courthouse: fix bad link, link years)(diff) ← Previous revision | Latest revision (diff) | Newer revision → (diff)
In progress
Since 1815, three separate buildings have served as the Gibson County Courthouse in Princeton, Gibson County, Indiana. The current building, constructed in 1884, is widely regarded as one of the most outstanding examples of Romanesque Revival architecture in the United States, and was the model for Department 56's Original Snow Village Courthouse.
1815 Courthouse
Following Gibson County's founding in 1813, sessions of the Gibson County Court of Common Pleas were typically held in the judge's own residence. Realizing that this arrangement could not last indefinitely, in 1814 the Gibson County Commissioners authorized the purchase of 160 acres of land from the United States 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.
After the land was acquired, the Commissioners let contracts with local craftsmen to construct the courthouse. Construction began on September 1, 1814. When the building was completed in 1817, it was two stories tall and measured 33' X 40'. The 1815 Courthouse remained in service until 1841.