Montgomery County Circuit Courthouses facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Montgomery County Courthouse Historic District
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Grey Courthouse in the foreground, Red Brick Courthouse in the middle ground, and the Judicial Center in the background
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 Location in Maryland
Location in the United States
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| Location | Courthouse Sq. and S. Washington St., Rockville, Maryland |
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| Area | 7 acres (2.8 ha) |
| Architect | Davis, Frank; Et al. |
| Architectural style | Late 19th And 20th Century Revivals, Late Victorian |
| NRHP reference No. | 86003352 |
| Added to NRHP | September 2, 1986 |
The Montgomery County Circuit Courthouses are important buildings in downtown Rockville, Maryland. They are part of the Montgomery County Judicial Center. A courthouse is where legal cases are heard and decisions are made.
There are two main buildings. The Red Brick Courthouse, at 29 Courthouse Square, has a special, old courtroom. The newer Circuit Court building, at 50 Maryland Avenue, is where most of the county's legal work happens today.
The Montgomery County Judicial Center: What It Is
The Montgomery County Judicial Center is a large building built in the 1980s. It is home to the Montgomery County Circuit Court. This court handles serious legal cases in the county.
Many important offices are also in this building. These include the Sheriff's Office, which helps with law enforcement, and the State's Attorney's Office, which handles criminal cases. The Register of Wills and the Orphans' Court also have offices here.
The Judicial Center is in downtown Rockville. It is located at the corner of Maryland Avenue and Jefferson Street. The District Court building is also nearby, across the street.
A Look Back: History of Rockville's Courthouses
Rockville became the county seat in 1776. Since then, there have been four different courthouses. At first, court was held in a tavern called Hungerford Tavern.
In the 1790s, the first wooden courthouse was built. By 1810, a new one was needed. A brick courthouse was built in 1835. Then, in 1890, another new courthouse was built in a style called Romanesque Revival.
As the county grew, more space was needed. So, in 1931, a grey courthouse was built. It was connected to the 1890 courthouse. This grey building now serves as the District Court of Maryland for Montgomery County.
For a while, from 1927 to 1954, the lower part of the courthouse was even the main office for the Montgomery County Police Department.
Historic Buildings in the Area
Several important buildings in this area are part of the Montgomery County Courthouse Historic District. This district was created in 1986 to protect these special places.
The district includes the two county courthouses: the 1891 red brick building and the 1931 grey stone building. It also has the old Rockville post office, built in 1939. Another cool building is the 1930 Farmers Banking and Trust Company building, which has a unique Art Deco design.
These buildings show what Rockville's old downtown used to look like. Much of the old center was taken down in the 1960s to make way for new developments. The 1891 courthouse was designed by a famous architect named Frank E. Davis.
- Montgomery County Courthouse Historic District, Montgomery County, Inventory No.: M: 26-11, including photo in 1975, at Maryland Historical Trust website
