Lancaster County Courthouse (South Carolina) facts for kids
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Lancaster County Courthouse
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Lancaster County Courthouse, 1969
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 Location in South Carolina
Location in the United States
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| Location | 104 N. Main St., Lancaster, South Carolina |
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| Built | 1828 |
| Architect | Robert Mills |
| Architectural style | Classical Revival |
| NRHP reference No. | 71000788 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | February 24, 1971 |
| Designated NHL | November 7, 1973 |
The Lancaster County Courthouse is a very old and important building in Lancaster, South Carolina. It was built way back in 1828 and has been used as a courthouse ever since. This means it has seen almost 200 years of history!
In 1973, it was named a National Historic Landmark. This is a special title given to places that are very important to the history of the United States. People think it might have been designed by Robert Mills. He was a famous American architect from the early 1800s. The courthouse is also known for being the place where the last witch trials in the United States happened.
About the Courthouse Building
The Lancaster County Courthouse is right in the middle of downtown Lancaster. You can find it where Meeting Street (South Carolina Highway 9) and Main Street (United States Route 521) meet. It's a two-story building made of brick. The bricks were made right there in Lancaster.
The front of the building has a grand entrance. You go up stairs to reach the main door on the second floor. This entrance looks like an old Greek or Roman temple, with big columns. The windows are shaped like rectangles and are set into round arch openings. Inside, the ground floor has curved ceilings. These ceilings help support the floor above. The main courtroom has a judge's bench with beautiful wood carvings. These carvings are from the Federal period, which was an early time in American history.
History of the Courthouse
The courthouse was built in 1828 by a person named Willis Alsobrook. Many people believe that the famous architect Robert Mills designed it. While there's no final proof, Robert Mills did design the old county jail in Lancaster. That jail, built in 1823, is also a National Historic Landmark.
The Lancaster County Courthouse has been used continuously as a place for legal matters since it was built. This means it has served its purpose for a very long time.
In 2008, the courthouse was damaged by a fire. Luckily, it was not completely destroyed. Plans were made to rebuild and fix the historic building.
