Chippewa County Courthouse
Chippewa County Courthouse | |
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 Interactive map showing the location of Chippewa County Courthouse | |
| Location | Court Street, Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan |
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| Coordinates | 46°29′53″N 84°20′44″W / 46.49806°N 84.34556°W |
| Area | 2.5 acres (1.0 ha) |
| Built | 1877 |
| Architect | William Scott, R.C. Sweat |
| Architectural style | Second Empire |
| Part of | Sault Ste. Marie Historic Commercial District (ID100005683) |
| NRHP reference No. | 84001381[1] |
| Added to NRHP | September 13, 1984 |
The Chippewa County Courthouse is a government building located on Court Street in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1984.[1] It is one of the oldest courthouses still in use in Michigan.
History[edit]
Chippewa County was split off from Michilimackinaw County (formed from the entire Upper Peninsula and part of the lower) in 1826. Sault Ste. Marie was chosen as the county seat.[2] The Chippewa County Courthouse was built in 1877 for $20,000,[2] using a design by Detroit architect William Scott[3] and his son John. In 1904, a rear addition costing $25,000,[2] designed by R. C. Sweat, was added to the structure. A second addition was constructed in approximately 1930.[3]
In the 1980, the courthouse was completely renovated. Paint was stripped off woodwork, new doors and windows were installed, and the face of the tower clock was restored.[2]
Description[edit]
The Chippewa County Courthouse is a three-story Second Empire built of cut stone. The original courthouse was a rectangular plan; the 1904 addition made the whole structure into a T-plan. The Second Empire architectural style is consistent between the original courthouse and the later additions.[3] The stone walls are two feet (0.61 m) thick,[2] and the building features a contrasting, red-colored stone in beltcourses, quoins, lintels, and entryways. The center entrance is set in a slightly projecting pavilion topped with a pediment. Windows on the first floor have a segmented arch, while second-story windows are elliptically arched. Both the main structure and the clock tower are topped with a mansard roof;[3] the roof was originally covered with slate but is now covered with asphalt shingles.[2] Round windows were added to the mansard roof in 1904.[3]
Inside, original stamped tin ceilings are still installed.[3] Pillars inside the courtroom have ornate cast iron capitals, and the radiators are covered with grillwork.[2]
References[edit]
- ^ a b "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. July 9, 2010. Retrieved April 27, 2012.
- ^ a b c d e f g Fedynsky, John (2010). Michigan's County Courthouses. Ann Arbor, MI: University of Michigan Press. pp. 37–8. ISBN 978-0472117284. Retrieved April 27, 2012.
- ^ a b c d e f "Chippewa County Courthouse". Historic Sites Online. Michigan State Housing Development Authority. Archived from the original on 2012-12-24. Retrieved April 27, 2012.
External links[edit]
Media related to Chippewa County Courthouse (Michigan) at Wikimedia Commons- Chippewa County government site
- Bahweting: Extensive exterior images[permanent dead link]
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- County courthouses in Michigan
- Courthouses on the National Register of Historic Places in Michigan
- Second Empire architecture in Michigan
- Government buildings completed in 1877
- Buildings and structures in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan
- National Register of Historic Places in Chippewa County, Michigan
- 1877 establishments in Michigan