Hardin County Courthouse (Illinois) facts for kids
The Hardin County Courthouse is a government building. It is located in Elizabethtown, which is the main town, or county seat, of Hardin County, Illinois, United States. This courthouse was built in 1927. It is the fourth building to serve as the county's courthouse. The earlier buildings were replaced because of fires or worries about fires.
A Look Back: The Courthouse Story
For a long time, at the start of the 1800s, the area that is now Hardin County was mostly empty land. Few people lived there. The first people to settle here were called squatters. They lived on land that wasn't officially theirs. This was because there were no land offices to buy land until 1814.
Hardin County was officially formed in 1839. This is when its first clear borders were set. The very first courthouse was made of wood. Because wood burns easily, people worried about fire. So, a new courthouse was built using bricks, which are much safer.
However, this brick building caught fire in 1884. Most of the county's old records were destroyed in that fire. Luckily, the building's design plans survived. So, the third courthouse was built using the exact same plans. But it also burned down in 1921.
Building the fourth courthouse took a long time, almost six years. Hardin County was not a rich area back then. The project might have been delayed even more. But some people helped by buying large bonds, which are like loans. A builder also agreed to work for very little money just to finish the courthouse.
What the Courthouse Looks Like
The Hardin County Courthouse has two stories. It has many rectangular windows. A small clock tower sits on top of the building. Just below the roof, there is a line of bricks that stick out a little. This is called a belt course.
The main entrance is at the top of a few steps. It is set inside a large archway. Near the bottom of these steps, there is a big memorial. This memorial honors those who served in wars.
