Bristol County Courthouse Complex facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Bristol County Courthouse Complex
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Superior Courthouse, 2008
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 Location in Massachusetts
Location in the United States
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| Location | 9, 11, 15 Court St. Taunton, Massachusetts |
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| Area | 13 acres (5 ha) |
| Built | 1826, 1894, 1904 |
| Architect | Frank Irving Cooper, Albion Marble |
| NRHP reference No. | 78000427 |
| Added to NRHP | March 28, 1978 |
The Bristol County Courthouse Complex Historic District is a group of three old buildings in Taunton, Massachusetts. These buildings are on Court Street. They include the Bristol County Superior Courthouse and the Bristol County Registry of Deeds. There is also the old First District Courthouse.
You can also find memorials for the Korean War and World War II here. These are on the lawn in front of the superior courthouse. The complex is right next to the Taunton Green Historic District. This is the city's main town square.
In 2008, a big project started to fix up and expand the complex. This project cost $86 million. It included building a new trial court. It also restored the superior courthouse.
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Bristol County Superior Courthouse
The Bristol County Superior Courthouse was built in 1894. It was designed by architect Frank Irving Cooper. He was from nearby Bridgewater. The building is made of stone. It is in the Romanesque style.
It has a tall central tower, about 170 feet high. The top of the tower has a copper dome. This dome was made using special Guastavino tile. The building's large roof is also covered entirely in copper. This courthouse is the fourth one on or near this spot. Courthouses have been here since 1747. That's when Taunton became the main town for Bristol County, Massachusetts. This happened after Bristol became part of Rhode Island.
The dome once had a 15-foot copper flame on top. This flame was taken down in 2003. It was thought to be unsafe. Even though some people wanted it back, the 300-pound torch is still in storage.
Since 2013, a pair of peregrine falcons have made their home here. They nest on the courthouse.
Bristol County, Massachusetts also has other historic courthouses. You can find them in Fall River and New Bedford.
Law Library
The law library for the district is inside the courthouse. It is located in the upper part of the dome. It has many shelves of books about law. It also offers other library services.
War Memorials
On the front lawn of the superior courthouse are two memorials. These are for the city of Taunton. One memorial is for World War II. It was put there in 1987. The other is for the Korean War. It was put there in 1988.
Bristol County Registry of Deeds
The Bristol County Registry of Deeds is at 11 Court Street. It is just north of the superior courthouse. It was built in 1904. The architect was Albion M. Marble from Fall River.
The building is made of brick and limestone. It is in the Colonial Revival style. This office keeps records of all property sales. It covers the northern part of Bristol County, Massachusetts. There is also another office in Attleboro.
Taunton District Courthouse
The former Taunton District Courthouse is at 15 Court Street. It is a Greek Revival-style building. It was first built in 1826. It was originally the county courthouse. It stood where the current superior courthouse is now. But it was moved to its present spot in the 1890s.
The building is made of red brick. It has a white wooden entrance. There is also a copper-capped cupola on the roof. This building has had problems with water leaks. It also has other structural issues. Plus, it does not meet modern rules for people with disabilities. Because of this, the district court business moved. It is now in a temporary location in Taunton.
Images for kids
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Court Street, Taunton
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Bristol County Superior Courthouse in Taunton.
