McLean County Courthouse and Square facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
|
|
McLean County Courthouse & Square
|
|
 Location in Illinois
Location in the United States
|
|
| Location | Main, Washington, Center, and Jefferson Sts., Bloomington, Illinois |
|---|---|
| Area | 0.7 acres (0.28 ha) |
| Built | 1903 (courthouse) |
| Architectural style | Classical Revival |
| NRHP reference No. | 73002160 |
| Added to NRHP | February 6, 1973 |
The McLean County Courthouse and Square is a special historic place in downtown Bloomington, Illinois. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, which means it is important to the history of the United States. This area includes the old McLean County Courthouse and the historic buildings around it.
Today, the McLean County Museum of History uses all four floors of the old courthouse. They have exhibits, store collections, and have their offices there. The Square is surrounded by four streets in Bloomington: Main Street, Center Street, Jefferson Street, and Washington Street. Before the current courthouse was finished in 1903, three other courthouses stood on this same spot. The first was built in 1831, the second in 1836, and the third in 1868. Sadly, the third courthouse was badly damaged by a big fire on June 19, 1900.
History of the Courthouse and Square
The Courthouse Building
The McLean County Courthouse was home to the McLean County Circuit Court from 1903 to 1976. The building you see today was rebuilt in 1903 after a fire destroyed the earlier one. The original courthouse was built in 1868 and cost a lot of money back then.
On June 19, 1900, a huge fire swept through downtown Bloomington. It destroyed many buildings around the square, including the courthouse. After the fire, the courthouse was rebuilt in a similar style. It was designed by William Reeves and John M. Baile from the Peoria firm Reeves and Baile. Many other buildings in downtown Bloomington were also rebuilt around this time.
In 1988, the McLean County Historical Society decided to move its museum into the Old Courthouse. The museum has been operating there since 1991. Before that, some county offices were still in the courthouse, even though the courts had moved to a new building.
In 2002, McLean County approved $1.2 million for important repairs and updates to the courthouse. Other money came from the Illinois State Museum. This project included fixing the courthouse's 100-year-old dome. They even saved and reused some of the original copper! The clock was also fixed, and on December 24, 2004, the tower bell rang for the first time in almost 50 years. The dome was restored from a green color (from old copper) back to its original bright copper look.
On October 15, 2006, the Landmark Preservations Council of Illinois gave an "Outstanding Restoration" award to the McLean County Museum of History. This award was for their amazing work in restoring the old courthouse dome.
The Courthouse Square Area
The historic parts of the square are on the west, south, and north sides of the courthouse. The east side of the public square was destroyed in a fire in 1985. Today, a modern office building stands there. The remaining historic sides have many old commercial buildings. These buildings were built between the 1850s and the 1920s. For example, the Corn Belt Bank Building was finished in 1903. It was designed by George Miller, who also designed the nearby Livingston Building.
Historic Buildings Around the Square
Here are some of the important buildings around the Courthouse Square:
- Benjamin & Shermerhorn Building: 210 N. Center St., built 1857.
- Corn Belt Bank Building: 101 W Jefferson St., built 1903.
- Dewenters Building (Crothers & Crew Building): 118 W. Washington St., built around 1856.
- Ensenberger Building: 212 N. Center St., built 1926.
- Livingston Building: 102–104 W. Washington St., built 1903.
- Phoenix Block (Kersey H. Fell Building): 106–108 W Washington St., buildings built around 1856.
Benjamin & Shermerhorn Building
The Benjamin & Shermerhorn building was built in 1857. It was first a dry goods store run by Edward Benjamin and John Shermerhorn. Their store was on the first floor of the three-story building. The basement was great for storing food because a well provided natural cooling.
Other famous businesses were also in this building. The Bloomington newspaper, The Pantagraph, had its office on the third floor until 1868. During that time, the newspaper was known for its strong views against slavery and for supporting Abraham Lincoln. A loan company, Henry Capen & Sons, was on the second floor from 1886 to 1926. The longest tenant was W.B. Read and Co., a stationery and book company. They started on the first floor in 1895 and later used the whole building until 1951. In 1952, Osco Drugs took over the building.
Dewenters Building
This building on West Washington Street is one of three built by Dr. Eli Crothers around 1856. In their early years, these buildings were offices for important doctors and lawyers in Bloomington. This included William Ormes and Leonard Swett, who was famous for using the "insanity defense" in court.
The building got its name, Dewenters, because it housed the Dewenter and Co. men's clothing store for over 100 years. This store was started in 1847 and moved into the Dewenter Building in 1870. It stayed there until 1988. The Dewenter family owned the store until 1946, but it kept its name even after new owners bought it.
Ensenberger Building
The seven-floor Ensenberger Building, at 212 N. Center St., was finished in 1926. It cost $250,000 to build. This building was the home of the famous Ensenberger Furniture store from its opening until it closed in 1995. The furniture store was started in 1879 by Gustave A. Ensenberger. His family continued to run it for many years. When it first opened, about 40,000 people visited the building in one week! People came from as far away as New York and California to see it.
Livingston Building
The six-story Livingston Building, built in 1903, is thought to be the first "skyscraper" in Bloomington. This is because it was the first building outside of Chicago to use steel frame construction. It cost $36,000 to build.
The building was home to the Livingston and Sons department store for its first eleven years. Then the store moved down the block. From 1927 to 1969, a Walgreens Drug Store and many law and insurance businesses were in the building. The Livingston Building was also known for its roof garden in the early 1900s. Many dances and music shows were held there.
Phoenix Block
The Phoenix Block is a group of buildings at 106–108 West Washington St. Today, only two of the original four buildings remain. The Daily Pantagraph newspaper called it the Phoenix Block. This was because the buildings rose so quickly from the ashes after a fire in 1855.
Originally, the upper floors of these buildings were offices for lawyers. These lawyers worked on cases in the old wooden courthouse. The Kersey H. Fell Building, built in 1856, is one of downtown Bloomington's oldest structures. It housed the office of local lawyer Kersey Fell. It is said that Jesse Fell first suggested to Abraham Lincoln that he should run for president in Fell's second-floor office.
Besides law offices, the third floor was once home to the Illinois Natural History Museum in 1857. This was one of the first museums in Illinois. The storefronts have had many different shops over the years. From 1905 to 1922, Homuth Jewelry was there. Sorg's Jewelers was on the Phoenix Block from 1946 until 1988. Five other jewelers have also had businesses on this block at different times.
Architecture and Design
Courthouse Architecture
The Old McLean County Courthouse is a great example of beautiful and well-kept architecture. Its design shows strength, history, and importance. The courthouse is built in the American Renaissance style. The outside is covered in limestone and made of solid stone. It has a rectangular shape and is perfectly balanced on all sides. It uses the Corinthian order style, which has fancy columns.
From the roof, a limestone drum and a copper dome rise up. These are said to be designed like St. Peter's Basilica in Rome. The east and west sides of the building have the main entrances. They feature three-story porticos (porches with columns), a Corinthian pediment (a triangular top part), and decorative caps. The building's windows are decorated with Doric surrounds, which are simpler columns.
The architects wanted the building to feel like it belonged to the people of Bloomington. To do this, the entrances on all four sides are exactly the same. This was a way to welcome people from every direction. The outside also has many decorative railings and detailed moldings.
The inside of the Old Courthouse has four main sections. These are separated by wide hallways that meet in the middle of the building. There, they form a large, open three-story rotunda. The rotunda is the most impressive part of the inside. It rises over 100 feet high! At the very top, there is a painting that shows peace and good times. The hallways have mosaic floors and walls covered in white marble. The walls also have special plaster panels that look like marble. The ceilings are decorated with plaster designs. The doors are made of Honduras mahogany wood.
You can reach the upper floors of the courthouse by a wide white marble staircase. It has bronze screens that look like fish scales, decorated with laurel wreaths. These same screens are around the rotunda opening. Inside the rooms, you'll find different floor types, like mosaic, marble, and maple wood. The three original courtrooms are decorated with paintings, marble, and special plaster. The original painting is still in the Stevenson-Ives library. Other cool features include many glass panels, bronze wall dividers, original gas and electric lights, and marble counters.
Architecture of Square Buildings
Benjamin & Shermerhorn Building
The Benjamin & Shermerhorn Building was designed by Rudolph Richter and finished in 1857. It is built in the Italianate Style. It has a brick front, arched windows, and a decorative tooth-like design near the roof.
Dewenters Building
This building is in the Greek Revival style. It has flat stone pieces above and below the windows. The top of the building has small block-like decorations near the roof. In the early 1990s, the building was restored to be used as an architectural office. During this work, the third floor was turned into a modern apartment and studio.
Ensenberger Building
The Ensenberger Building was designed by local architect Arthur Pillsbury. It has an interesting mix of styles, including Art Deco. This was the last building Pillsbury designed, as he passed away in 1925 before it opened. When it opened in 1926, the seventh floor had a fully furnished, Spanish-style bungalow with white stucco walls and arched windows. The original design included Gothic spires on the roof, which made it look less Art Deco. These spires were removed in 1941 to give the building a more modern look.
Livingston Building
This steel structured "skyscraper" was designed by Bloomington architect George Miller. It is an example of Chicago Style architecture. The design includes many features that would later be called Sullivanesque Style, named after architect Louis Sullivan. The building has decorative metal oriels (bay windows) on its north and east sides. The bottom of the building uses columns, and the top is decorated with a detailed cornice. The windows above the first story are framed by metal panels, and the third through sixth floors are covered in red brick.
Phoenix Block
The two remaining original buildings on the Phoenix Block, including the Kersey H. Fell building, are in the Greek Revival style. They share a wall and have simple stone pieces above and below the windows. The storefronts have columns. The shared wall helped the Phoenix Block be built very quickly. Merchants were so eager to open their shops that some stores started business while workers were still building the second and third floors!
Images for kids
-
The original courthouse after the catastrophic 1900 fire
-
Downtown Bloomington and the McLean County Courthouse & Square are seen in this 1914 image.
-
This postcard from the early 20th century shows the McLean County Courthouse.
