Old Grafton County Courthouse facts for kids
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Old Grafton County Courthouse
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U.S. Historic district
Contributing property |
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 Location in New Hampshire
Location in the United States
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| Location | 1 Court St., Plymouth, New Hampshire |
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| Area | 0.2 acres (0.081 ha) |
| Built | 1774 |
| Part of | Plymouth Historic District (ID86000343) |
| NRHP reference No. | 82001677 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | April 29, 1982 |
| Designated CP | March 14, 1986 |
The Old Grafton County Courthouse is a really old and important building in Plymouth, New Hampshire. It's located at 1 Court Street. This building was made of wood in 1774. It was one of two courthouses for Grafton County when the county was first created.
It's one of the oldest public buildings still standing in New Hampshire. Today, it's home to the Plymouth Historical Society museum. The courthouse was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1982. It also became part of the Plymouth Historic District in 1986.
A Look at the Old Courthouse Building
The Old Grafton County Courthouse is in the middle of Plymouth. You can find it on the south side of Court Street, just west of the town hall. It's a square building made of wood. Each side is about 34 feet (10 meters) long.
The roof is a special shape called a truncated hip roof. On top of the roof, there's a small tower called a cupola. This cupola is open and has square posts at its corners. It has its own small, low-pitched hip roof.
The front of the building faces north. It has three sections, with windows on either side of the main door. A small, slanted roof supported by simple brackets covers the entrance. There's also a small section that sticks out from the back of the building. Inside, there's one big room. The way it looks inside shows changes made in 1876.
History of the Old Courthouse
This courthouse was built in 1774. This was soon after Grafton County was formed. Plymouth was chosen as one of the main towns, called a shire town, where county business would be done. People at the time said it had a "stately cupola" that seemed very grand for its size.
In 1823, a new courthouse was built. The old building was then sold. It was moved to the edge of Plymouth. For a while, it was used as a shop for making and fixing wheels. During this time, it was changed quite a bit to fit its new purpose.
In 1876, a man named Henry W. Blair bought the building. He wanted to save this historic place. He had it moved back to where it is now. It was then turned into a library. The local Young Ladies' Library Association managed this library. The cupola, which had been removed when it was a shop, was put back on before 1906. Today, the building is home to the Plymouth Historical Society.
See Also
