Putnam County Courthouse (New York) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Putnam County Courthouse
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Front (west) elevation, 2006
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| Location | Carmel, NY |
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| Nearest city | Danbury, CT |
| Area | 0.5 acres (2,000 m2) |
| Built | 1814, renovated 1847 |
| Architect | James Townsend |
| Architectural style | Classical Revival |
| NRHP reference No. | 76001264 |
| Added to NRHP | 1976 |
New York's historic Putnam County Courthouse is a very old and important building. It is located on Gleneida Avenue in downtown Carmel. Carmel is the main town, or county seat, of Putnam County. The courthouse looks out over Lake Gleneida.
This building was first constructed in 1814. That was just two years after Putnam County was created! It is the second-oldest county courthouse still being used in New York State. Only the Fulton County courthouse is older.
In 1847, the courthouse was greatly updated. This is when the fancy Classical Revival front porch, called a portico, and tall columns were added. The architect, James Townsend, used designs for the tops of the columns. These designs were inspired by ancient Greek buildings. Because of its history, the courthouse was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1976.
What Does It Look Like?
The courthouse is a two-story building with a rectangular shape. It has a pointed roof, called a gable roof. The sides are covered with horizontal wooden boards. The front of the building has vertical wooden planks.
Four tall, fancy columns support the front gable. This area is called a pediment. Behind the columns is the main entrance. The entrance has detailed classical designs. The window frames also have similar decorations. The two front corners of the building have large, flat columns called pilasters.
You can still see the stone walls of the original county jail on the south side. A newer, two-room section was added to the back. On top of the roof, there is a small tower called a cupola.
A Look Back in Time
In 1812, the New York state government created Putnam County. It was separated from Dutchess County. The new county needed two courts. At first, trials were held in Carmel's Baptist church.
After three months, a state lawmaker named Robert Weeks sold the county some land. It was a half-acre lot in the middle of Carmel. General James Townsend, a local builder, was hired to construct the courthouse. He finished it two years later for less than $4,000. He even used some iron from his own local mine for the jail section. The courthouse opened on February 15, 1815.
As the county grew, the original courthouse became too small. Officials thought about building a new one in Cold Spring. But the original land deal said the courthouse had to stay on that first piece of land. So, the existing courthouse was updated and made bigger instead. The fancy column tops were likely carved in New York City. They were then shipped to Carmel, just like for many other buildings back then.
In 1855, another jail section was built. The county sheriff started living in the building at this time. It became a tradition for the sheriff's wife to cook for the people in jail. Another jail section was added in 1907.
A fire in 1924 damaged most of the top floor. However, it was rebuilt to look just like it did before. By the late 1900s, the building was showing its age. The sheriffs and their wives moved out in 1966. Eleven years later, the jail itself closed. In December 1988, the courthouse closed for repairs. This ended 174 years of continuous use.
The repairs took six years, longer than expected. Many problems came up during the work. Since it reopened in 1994, it has been home to two of the county's judges. The old jail cells are now mostly used for storage. A newer, more modern court building opened on January 2, 2008. It is located behind the Putnam County Office Building.
Even though the new courthouse opened in 2008, the historic courthouse is still used. It holds the Surrogates Court. The main courtroom is also where the Putnam County Legislature meets.
Images for kids
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The new Putnam County Courthouse.
