Lincoln County Courthouse (1872) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Lincoln County Courthouse
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 Location in Nevada
Location in the United States
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| Location | Lacour St., Pioche, Nevada |
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| Built | 1872 |
| NRHP reference No. | 78001724 |
| Added to NRHP | February 23, 1978 |
The Lincoln County Courthouse in Pioche, Nevada, built in 1872, is often called the "Million Dollar Courthouse." This is because it ended up costing a huge amount of money for its time. Even though it was a small building, its construction cost $75,000 in 1872. That's like paying equivalent to $1,830,000 in 2022 today!
With extra costs and poor money management, the total bill grew to over $800,000 in 1872 money. This huge debt wasn't fully paid off until 1938. That was the same year a new courthouse was being built.
Why It Cost So Much
The original plan for the courthouse was to spend only $26,000. But the first building agreement fell apart. The county then had to sign many different agreements to finish the building. This made the total cost much higher.
To pay for things, the county borrowed $75,000. They also printed special money called scrip to cover other county bills. These extra costs were all added to the courthouse project.
Years of Debt
Over time, the amount of money collected from taxes went down. This happened because mining, which was important to the county, became less active. As a result, Lincoln County couldn't keep up with its interest payments. They didn't pay anything on the main debt either.
In the 1880s, the county tried to say they didn't have to pay the debt. But this attempt failed. Finally, in 1907, the Nevada government created a plan. This plan allowed the county to pay off 65% of what they owed. Part of this debt was taken on by Clark County. Clark County was a new area formed from the southern part of Lincoln County in 1909.
The debt was completely paid off in 1938. At that time, people thought the old 1872 courthouse was falling apart.
From Courthouse to Museum
Even though it was in bad shape, the courthouse stood empty for almost 40 years. In the 1970s, it was carefully fixed up and restored. Today, it serves as a local history museum.
The courthouse was designed by T. Dimmock and Thomas Keefe. It's a two-story building built in the Italianate style. It has a brick front, and its sides and back are made of rough stone. The jail part of the building is located behind it on a hill. You can reach the jail from the second floor of the courthouse.
The Lincoln County Courthouse was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1978. This list recognizes important historical places in the United States.
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