Old Ozaukee County Courthouse facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Old Ozaukee County Courthouse
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Old Ozaukee County Courthouse
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 Location in Wisconsin
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| Location | 109 W. Main St. Port Washington, Wisconsin |
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| Built | 1901-1902 |
| Built by | Wurthman and Vollmer |
| Architect | Frederick Graf |
| Architectural style | Richardsonian Romanesque |
| NRHP reference No. | 76000071 |
| Added to NRHP | December 12, 1976 |
The Old Ozaukee County Courthouse is a cool old building in Port Washington, Wisconsin. It was built a long time ago, in 1901, and looks like a castle with its special "Richardsonian Romanesque" style. The building is made from pretty gray-blue stone from a nearby place called Cedarburg. Because it's so old and important, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1976. This means it's a special landmark worth protecting!
Why a New Courthouse Was Needed
Back in 1899, the leaders of Ozaukee County, Wisconsin (called the County Board) decided they needed a new courthouse. The old one was no longer safe to use. This old building had even been the site of a big event in 1862 during the American Civil War. People had protested there about joining the army.
The County Board decided to borrow money, called "issuing bonds," to pay for the new building.
Choosing the Courthouse Location
After the decision to build a new courthouse, some people in the county started to disagree. Many residents wanted the new courthouse to be moved from Port Washington to Cedarburg, Wisconsin. This caused a lot of debate!
However, after much discussion, it was decided that the courthouse would stay in Port Washington. It would be built right where the old one stood.
Building the New Courthouse
Workers started taking apart the old courthouse in late 1900. While the new building was being constructed, all the court cases and official county business were handled in a nearby opera house. Imagine having court in a theater!
The beautiful new courthouse finally opened its doors in 1902. Many years later, in 1969, another part was added to the building. This new section is called an "annex."
