Monongalia County Courthouse facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Monongalia County Courthouse
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U.S. Historic district
Contributing property |
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Monongalia County Courthouse, October 2008
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 Location in West Virginia
Location in the United States
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| Location | 243 High St., Morgantown, West Virginia |
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| Area | 0.5 acres (0.20 ha) |
| Built | 1881, 1891 |
| Architect | Mayers, George W.L.; Bailey, James P. |
| Architectural style | Italianate, Romanesque |
| NRHP reference No. | 85001525 |
| Added to NRHP | July 8, 1985 |
The Monongalia County Courthouse is a special old building in Morgantown, Monongalia County, West Virginia. It's where the local government works. The first courthouse was built way back in 1784. The building you see today was finished in 1891.
This courthouse is built in a style called Romanesque. It has two main floors and a basement. It also has a tall, five-story clock tower and another three-story tower. The building is quite large, measuring about 99 feet by 83 feet. The first floor is 15 feet high, and the second floor is 22 feet high.
The clock tower is very unique. It has a pointy roof and four round supports called buttresses. There are stone designs above the four clocks and tower windows. You can also see an arched bell area and a special four-leaf clover design with the year the building was made. Parts of the building were changed in 1925 and 1975. Next to the courthouse is an old jailhouse, built in 1881, in the Italianate style.
The Monongalia County Courthouse was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1985. This means it's an important historical site. It's also part of the Downtown Morgantown Historic District, which was listed in 1996.
Contents
History of the Courthouse
The Monongalia County Courthouse is located at 243 High Street. It's even older than the town of Morgantown itself! This Romanesque-style building is the fourth courthouse to stand on this exact spot. It's always been the main office for the county government.
Early Buildings
The first two courthouses were made of wood. The very first one was built in 1784 and cost about $250. A fire destroyed it, so a second wooden building was put up in 1796. After that, a two-story brick building was finished in 1802. Then, in 1848, another two-story brick courthouse was built for $6,500.
In 1851, a wooden statue of Patrick Henry was placed on top of the courthouse. This was to honor him because he was the governor of Virginia when Monongalia County was created in 1776. You can still see this statue inside the current courthouse today!
Building the Current Courthouse
By 1884, the old courthouse was considered unsafe. So, the County Court started planning a new building. In 1887, an architect named James P. Bailey from Pittsburgh was hired to design it. He was paid $25.00 for his work.
Many people in the town didn't want a new courthouse because it would cost money. They voted against it twice. But on September 13, 1890, county officials secretly moved all the important papers from the old courthouse at midnight. Then, they started tearing the building down. The townspeople tried to stop them with a court order, but the officials had already left town. No local lawyer would help the townspeople.
Finishing Touches and Renovations
On June 20, 1891, which is West Virginia Day, the first stone of the new courthouse was laid. This new building was made of brick and stone in a Victorian Romanesque style. A company owned by George W. L. Mayers built it for $53,478. The building was finished later that same year.
In 1976, the courthouse was updated and a new section was added. This cost about $1.5 million. This is how the courthouse looks today.
The Courtyard
For a long time, until 1881, the courtyard outside the courthouse was used for public punishments. Today, the courtyard is a busy place for the community. People use it for public meetings, fun street fairs, political gatherings, and local markets.
