Knox County Courthouse (Nebraska) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Knox County Courthouse
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_courtroom_1.JPG)
Courtroom on second floor of courthouse
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 Location in Nebraska
Location in the United States
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| Location | Main St. between Brazile and Bridge Sts. Center, Nebraska |
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| Architect | E.B. Watson |
| Architectural style | Modern Movement |
| MPS | County Courthouses of Nebraska MPS |
| NRHP reference No. | 90000972 |
The Knox County Courthouse is an important historical building located in Center, Nebraska. It serves as the main office for Knox County, where important government decisions are made. This building has a rich history, especially in how it came to be built during a tough time for the country.
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Choosing the County Seat
For a while, people in Knox County couldn't agree on where the county's main office, called the "county seat," should be. They held five different elections to decide! Finally, in 1901, they chose a place called Center. Center was picked because it was right in the middle of the county, even though it was just two corn fields at the time.
First Courthouse Building
After Center was chosen as the county seat, a first courthouse was built there in 1902. This building served the county for over 30 years.
Building the Current Courthouse
The courthouse you see today was built much later, between February and October of 1934. This was during a time called the Great Depression, when many people didn't have jobs.
Funding the Project
Building the new courthouse cost a lot of money. The county raised $50,000 from taxes. But that wasn't enough. The Knox County Courthouse was special because it was the very first public building in Nebraska to get help from new government programs.
Help from Government Programs
The United States government created programs to help people find work during the Great Depression. The Knox County Courthouse project received money and workers from two of these programs:
- The Civil Works Administration (CWA)
- The Federal Emergency Relief Administration (FERA)
These programs helped many people get jobs and build important public buildings like the courthouse.
A Historic Landmark
On July 5, 1990, the Knox County Courthouse was added to the National Register of Historic Places. This means it's recognized as an important building in American history and culture.
See also
In Spanish: Palacio de Justicia del Condado de Knox (Nebraska) para niños
