Courthouse Square Museum facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Eaton County Courthouse
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U.S. Historic district
Contributing property |
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 Location in Michigan
Location in the United States
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| Location | W. Lawrence Ave. at Cochran and Bostwick Sts., Charlotte, Michigan |
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| Area | less than one acre |
| Built | 1883 |
| Built by | Gibbs & Co. |
| Architect | Miles, Cramer & Horn |
| Part of | Charlotte Central Historic District (ID100002684) |
| NRHP reference No. | 71000389 |
| Added to NRHP | April 2, 1971 |
The Courthouse Square Museum is a cool old building in Charlotte, Michigan. It used to be where the local government, called the county, did its work. Now, it's a museum where you can learn about the area's history! This special building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1971. This means it's an important historical site.
A Look Back: The Courthouse Story
Eaton County was officially started in 1837. At first, the main government office, called the county seat, was in Bellevue, Michigan. But in 1840, it moved to Charlotte. For a few years, county offices were in a hotel. Then, in 1845, the first real courthouse was built. It was a small wooden building.
By 1880, Eaton County was growing fast! The old courthouse was too small for everyone. So, in 1882, the county decided to build a brand new, bigger courthouse. They hired architects from Toledo, Ohio to design it. The first stone was laid in 1883, and the building was finished in 1885.
In 1895, a fire damaged a lot of the inside of the building. But don't worry, it was fixed up and rebuilt! The county government used this building until 1976. That's when a new, modern county building was built a little further away.
In the 1980s, people started working to restore the old courthouse. In 1993, a group called the Courthouse Square Association took over. They now take care of the building and the land around it. Today, the top two floors are a public museum. You can also rent them for events! The ground floor has offices and shops.
What Does It Look Like?
The old Eaton County Courthouse is a three-story building. It has a sloped roof. The first floor is made of rough fieldstone. The upper floors are red brick with stone decorations.
You reach the entrances by climbing stairs to the second floor. The doors and windows on the second floor have round tops. The windows on the third floor are square, except for the ones in the middle section. There are parts that stick out on the third level of each side. These have fancy carvings above them.
In the middle of the roof, there's a tall, three-part tower called a cupola. It has a square base and an open section with columns, like a bell tower. On top of that is an eight-sided dome. A statue of justice stands proudly on top of the dome.
