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Monroe County Courthouse
The Monroe County Courthouse is the seat of government for Monroe County and is the traditional center of Bloomington. The third courthouse to stand on the Downtown Square, the current courthouse was built in 1907 during a time of great prosperity. Wing & Mahurin designed the building. The Courthouse is the only building on the 1907 Courthouse Block, and the centerpiece of the Courthouse Square Historic District. The lawn and sidewalk surrounding the courthouse are frequently used for civic events, festivals, protests and other events. There are also many benches and areas for people to sit or lie down.
The building's official address is 100 W. 5th Street, Bloomington, IN 47404.
- Geocoordinates:
Map from Google - Elevation: 239 meters (785 feet)
- Business Hours: 8am - 4pm
Contents
Monuments on the Courthouse Square
- World War II Veterans Memorial (west side)
- Vietnam War Veterans Memorial (west side)
- Monuments
Civil War Canon
World War II Veterans Memorial
Engraving on WWII Memorial
History
Monroe County's first court house was a dogtrot cabin, two log cabins under a single roof. They were built in 1818 by Samuel Elliott at the site of the old Monroe County jail for the sum of $400. Of the two cabins, one measured 20x20 feet and the other 12x20 feet. They were separated by a ten foot wide breezeway. Each cabin had one door, and the two doors faced each other. A window in each cabin faced the east in order to take advantage of the morning light.
Construction of a more permanent courthouse was started in 1819. It was to be a two-story, brick structure, about 40x45 feet, on what is now the courthouse square. It was one of many coffee mill courthouses built in the the first half of the 19th century across the Midwest. 'Coffee mill courthouses' were:
...all brick, two-story, square or occasionally rectangular buildings with a four-sided hip roof and a copula in the middle. They ranged from 32 to 55 feet on a side, but most were 40 x 40, providing about 3000 square feet of usable space. There were about 48 of these courthouses built in Indiana. The first State Capitol at Corydon, the Rome Courthouse in Perry County, and a courthouse in Wilmington in Dearborn County are the only three structures of this type that survive. The Coffee Mill term was borrowed from David Hermansen, a Ball State University professor.
Other examples were built in McLean County, Illinois and Jackson County, Missouri.
John Ketcham was the contractor for Monroe County's coffee mill courthouse. After many delays, the new court house was ready for occupancy in 1826. The total cost was $8,300.00.
Page 2 of the Bloomington News Letter, of July 8, 1854, described additions to the courthouse begun in that year at the cost of $7,000.00:
We are pleased to see that material changes and improvements are being made to our Court House. The contract has been let to Mr. J. T. Rogers, and the work is commenced. The plan is, to erect a two-story wing on each side of the main building-on the East and West sides-extending back only as far as the first windows, and projecting in front. These wings are to be connected by a roof, with a gable to the South, so as to leave space for a large porch or piazza on the South side of the building, which is to be the front. This roof is to be supported by a number of brick, stuccoed columns. We are glad to see this evidence of the improving taste of our community. The present structure looks like it might have been built for a Stadt House, in the Nieuw Nedterlandts, according to the style of architecture renowned by the veritable DEEDRICH KNICKERBOCKER. We have often felt ashamed, after having traveled in other parts of the State, and seen their airy and elegant public buildings, to come home and view our red, squatty, and Dutch-looking Court house in the shape of an inverted turnip.
Additional changes were made in 1884, and this courthouse was finally razed in 1906.
The current courthouse was dedicated on July 4, 1908.
In April of 1919 the Showers Brothers furniture factory resumed publication of 'Shop Notes', the company publication, after a six month hiatus caused by labor shortages associated with the First World War. On the April 5th issue the cover featured a photo of the long since demolished second courthouse with the later additions. Text on page 9 under the heading 'Our Front Cover' included this doubtful assertion: 'William Low was the architect'. The entire text of the 'Shop Notes' article was reprinted in the Bloomington Evening World in the April 5th edition. When one examines the records of the Monroe County Commissioners as recorded in Commissioners Book "A" page 63 one does see that William Low was 'allowed $12.50 for making out a plan of the courthouse'. But the full context is:
Ordered that William Low be and is hereby allowed the sum of $12.50 as clerk of the board 5 days at a special session for making out a plan of the court house also the sum $4.25 for 2 blank books bought of Patrick and South, $30.00 for his extra services up to and including March term last of said court and that the county treasurer pay him said sum of any monies in the county treasury not otherwise appropriated.
Book "A" also includes on pages 54 to 59 lengthy and detailed specifications for the new courthouse. William Low is not known to have any other involvement in architecture or construction and the payment to him is for his work as clerk of the board of commissioners. In this role he worked five days over and above his normal duties attending a special session of the board devoted to the new courthouse, preparing the record of specifications in Book "A" and perhaps other documents for distribution to contractors, likely working from existing documents created for other 'coffee mill' courthouses. Coincidentally, William Low is said to appear in a somewhat fanciful painting by Theophilus Adam Wylie entitled A Political Rally On The Square. The second courthouse appears in the background, but as if it were on the edge of town, which is not accurate. Low, who was said to have problems with 'John Barleycorn' is at extreme right with his hand on a keg.
In 2007 a new copper dome was fabricated in the same style as the original and the old dome, which had long since oxidized and turned green, was replaced. Restorationists said the dome should retain the copper color for about 20 years before it begins to turn green again.
In September of 2008, old style lightposts where added at the 8 sidewalk entrances to the courthouse square.
In 2012, internal renovations included new steel support beams, wiring upgrades, and new temperature control systems, and Indiana University experts cleaned the murals below the dome.
Interesting Features
Offices in the courthouse
Additional county offices are located in the Justice Building.
Events In and Around the Courthouse
Trivia
- There was a time capsule placed next to the cornerstone of this courthouse in 1907, historians have been having trouble locating it however. [1]
The Courthouse in Media
- In Breaking Away, the Courthouse appears when Moocher gets married. Image Capture
- In 1994, the courthouse was featured prominently in the opening segment of ROX Episode #59, when Bart Everson and Joe Nickell smoked a marijuana cigarette on the front steps, a video clip which was ultimately seen by millions on MTV. Video
External Links
- Monroe County Government Courthouse Info
- County Courthouse Photos US Dept of Agriculture Economic Research Service
- Monroe County GIS site includes tax bill information.
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