Tolland County Courthouse facts for kids
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Tolland County Courthouse
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U.S. Historic district
Contributing property |
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 Location in Connecticut
Location in the United States
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| Location | 53 Tolland Green, Tolland, Connecticut |
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| Architectural style | Federal |
| Part of | Tolland Green Historic District (ID09000084) |
| NRHP reference No. | 09000084 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | September 17, 1977 |
| Designated CP | August 1, 1997 |
The Old Tolland County Courthouse is a very old building in Tolland, Connecticut. It is located at 53 Tolland Green. This building was first built in 1822. For many years, it was used as a place where important legal decisions were made.
Later, from 1899 to 1985, it became the Tolland Public Library. Today, the building is a history museum. The Tolland Historical Society takes care of it. Because of its importance, the building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1977.
Contents
What Does the Old Tolland Courthouse Look Like?
The Old Tolland County Courthouse stands on the west side of the Tolland Green. This area is where Connecticut Routes 195 and 74 meet. The building was designed in the Federal style. This style was popular when the United States was a new country.
Building Features and Design
The courthouse is a two-and-a-half-story building. It is made of wood and has a pointed roof. The outside is covered with horizontal wooden boards called clapboards. A special feature is a large window with three parts, known as a Palladian window.
On top of the roof, there is a tall, two-story tower. The bottom part of the tower is square. Above that, it becomes an eight-sided section with openings for sound, like a bell tower. A round dome sits at the very top.
The front of the building has three main sections. Columns on the corners support a decorative band and a triangular shape above the main entrance. The front door has columns on each side. Above the door, there is a half-circle window and another triangular shape. Inside, the second floor has been made to look like a courtroom from the past.
A Timeline of the Old Tolland Courthouse
The courthouse was built in 1822. At that time, Tolland was the main town for Tolland County. This meant many important county activities happened there. The building served as a courthouse until 1890. After that, most county legal work moved to Rockville.
From Courthouse to Library
In 1899, the building found a new purpose. It became the town's public library. In 1930, a man named Samuel Simpson bought the courthouse for just $1. He then gave it to the Tolland Public Library Association. This group helped run the library. Even while it was a library, the building still hosted some legal meetings for Tolland and nearby Ellington until 1960.
Becoming a Museum Today
The courthouse continued to be the Tolland Public Library until 1985. The library then moved to a bigger, updated building. In 2001, the Tolland Public Library Association gave the courthouse to the Tolland Historical Society.
The Historical Society worked hard to fix up the building. They turned it into a museum. Today, the first floor of the courthouse also has a library and offices for the French-Canadian Genealogical Society of Connecticut.
See also
