Tuscola County Courthouse facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Tuscola County Courthouse
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 Location in Michigan
Location in the United States
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| Location | 440 N. State St., Caro, Michigan |
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| Area | 1 acre (0.40 ha) |
| Built | 1932 |
| Architect | William H. Kuni |
| Architectural style | Art Deco |
| NRHP reference No. | 96001419 |
| Added to NRHP | December 6, 1996 |
The Tuscola County Courthouse is an important government building. You can find it at 440 North State Street in Caro, Michigan. This special building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1996. This means it's a historic place worth protecting!
Contents
A Look Back: The Courthouse Story
How Tuscola County Began
Tuscola County was created in 1840. At first, it was part of Saginaw County. But in 1850, Tuscola County was allowed to start its own local government.
Finding a Home for the County Government
The first "county seat" was Vassar. A county seat is the main town where the county government offices are. People argued for a long time about where the county seat should be. This argument started in 1860. Finally, in 1867, Caro was chosen as the county seat.
The First Courthouses
An old church building was moved to Caro. This church became the first courthouse. It served the county until 1872. Then, a new courthouse was built. It was made of stone and brick.
Building a New, Bigger Courthouse
By the 1920s, the 1873 courthouse was too small. In 1926, people voted to raise money for a new building. They approved a special tax to collect $300,000.
In 1931, a committee was formed. They looked at many plans for the new courthouse. They chose the design by William H. Kuni. He was an architect from Detroit.
Construction started in 1932. The old courthouse was taken down. The new one was finished in 1933. This building is still used by the county today!
What the Courthouse Looks Like
Outside the Building
The Tuscola County Courthouse is a rectangular building. It has two stories. It measures about 120 feet long and 75 feet wide. The outside walls are made of steel. They are covered with Indiana limestone. The bottom part of the building has a granite foundation.
The front of the building has a main section. It has slightly lower parts on each side. These side parts stick out a little. You walk up six steps to reach the main entrance.
The main part of the building has five tall sections of windows. These sections are separated by stone pillars. The windows on the first floor are square. The windows on the second floor have round tops. Above the windows, you can read "TUSCOLA - COUNTY - COURT - HOUSE."
Inside the Building
You enter the building through a recessed doorway. This leads you into a small entry area. Then you go into the main lobby. A staircase takes you to the second floor. There you will find another lobby and the courtroom.
In the public areas, the floors are made of terrazzo. This is a cool floor made of chips of marble or other materials. The walls are made of pink marble. There is also a beautiful stained glass window. It fills a large, arched space behind the main staircase.
