Osceola County Courthouse (Florida) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Osceola County Courthouse
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 Location in Florida
Location in the United States
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| Location | Kissimmee, Florida |
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| Built | 1889–90 |
| Architectural style | Romanesque |
| NRHP reference No. | 77000406 |
| Added to NRHP | August 16, 1977 |
The Osceola County Courthouse is a very old and important building in Kissimmee, Florida. It was built a long time ago, between 1889 and 1890. This historic courthouse is located at 2 Courthouse Square. On August 16, 1977, it was added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places, which means it's recognized as a special place in history.
Contents
History of the Courthouse
The Osceola County Courthouse is the oldest courthouse in Florida that is still being used! It has a rich history that started even before the building was finished.
How Osceola County Began
Osceola County was created in 1887 from parts of Orange and Brevard Counties. To pick a name for the new county, the county commissioners (these are like local leaders who make decisions for the county) held an election on February 6, 1887. People could choose between Kissimmee City, Runnymeade, or Hell or Hades. Guess which one won? Kissimmee City received 421 votes and became the county seat!
After the name was chosen, a committee quickly started looking for a place to build a courthouse and a jail for the new county. In 1888, the D.B. Stewart family helped by selling the land for the courthouse for $2,205.32.
Building the Courthouse
The plans for the new courthouse and jail were ready in August 1888. These plans were drawn by an architect named F.C. Johnson. The building's style is called Romanesque Revival, which was popular for courthouses across the United States in the late 1800s. The Osceola Courthouse is one of only four buildings left in Florida with this specific design.
You can see the Romanesque style in its features:
- A tall tower above the main entrance.
- Round arches over the portico (a covered entrance area) and above the doors.
- Segmental arches (arches that are part of a circle) above the windows.
To pay for the building, the county needed to raise money. They held several elections to get approval for issuing "bonds." Bonds are like loans that the county takes out, and people buy them to help fund projects. The first election for this was on March 23, 1889. It was a very close vote! Because it was so close, the commissioners decided to hold another election on April 10, 1889. Finally, on July 1, 1889, thirty bonds were issued, each worth $1,000, to pay for the construction. The last payment for the courthouse was made in July 1909.
Early Days and Upgrades
Like any old building, the new courthouse had some problems. In 1892, just a few years after it was built, there were cracks in the plastered walls. Repairs to the tower and roof were done by J.F.Willson for $21.00.
Over time, the courthouse got more modern. In 1901, the county jail was wired for electricity. The county paid its first electric bill on April 2, 1901, which was $1.64. In 1902, the county bought its first typewriter for $175.00, making office work easier. By 1905, the courthouse even had a telephone! Renting the phone cost $2.50 per month, which made the electric bill go up to $2.79. In February 1907, the Kissimmee Electric Company was paid $131.16 to wire the entire courthouse, and the electric bill then rose to $8.65.
A Busy Place for Justice
The Historic Osceola County Courthouse has always been a very busy place. All sorts of legal cases were heard here. Many judges, clerks, and other county employees have worked in this building over the years.
The Osceola County Courthouse made history again on August 16, 1977, when it was added to the National Register of Historic Places. Even though Osceola County built a newer, larger courthouse building, the third-floor courtroom of the old Historic Courthouse is still actively used today. This means Osceola County proudly holds the title for having the oldest courthouse still in use in Florida!
This short history of the Osceola County Courthouse was put together using information from the book 100 Years of Justice by Robert D. Dietrich.
- Florida's Historic Courthouses by Hampton Dunn (ISBN: 0-9653759-5-1)
