Courthouse Memorabilia

 The old Courthouse that we all knew prior to 1961 is only a memory now.  

Thankfully we do have lots of good pictures taken through it's 90 years of serving the county.  Also some memento's of it's history have been saved.

The earliest piece of history is this brick located in the Crittenden County Historical Museum.

History of the brick:

At the March 12, 1866 court session, the court contracted J. K. Frick to draft a plan for the erection of the Courthouse. The court accepted Frick's plans and the courthouse was to be completed by the first day of January 1867.

This courthouse was again damaged by fire in the early part of 1870 when a tinner, who was repairing the roof, left his torch burning and started a fire, which partially burned this building.

At the June 11, 1870 court meeting, the court ordered John W. Blue, W. H. Rochester, and R. W. Wilson, who is appointed courthouse commissioner, for style building committee, and financial committee for the purpose of building the courthouse. Said courthouse is to be built at same place and on same form as of old courthouse.

Court Meeting Oct. 10, 1871, this day the commissioner heretofore appointed to superintend the building of the new courthouse, filed their report. The court reviewed said report and accepted the house. This was the 3rd courthouse building. 

 

This piece of court house history is in Mapleview cemetery.  In 1976 a memorial stone was made for Carl Frazer of Marion from a cornerstone of the old courthouse.  The inscription says:  This man choose for his monument this stone taken from the Crittenden County Court House, built in 1870 and replaced 1961.
 

 

No history of the origins of the Court House Bell other than it was donated to the Crittenden County Historical Society when the old court house was torn down in 1961.   It was located in the cupola of the old court house.

A piece of the old iron fence that once enclosed the whole court house square.  I think people must have just taken some when it was torn down.  This piece and various pictures of the old court house are also located in the Museum.

Another piece of Court House Memorabilia is the weather vane that was atop the cupola on top of the court house.  It is also located in the Crittenden County Historical Museum.
 

This piece of court house history is located on the late Thomas and Ethel Tucker home on  South Main Street, now The Tucker House Lodging and Events.  Thomas, our wonderful late historian, tried to save the old court house, knowing one day it would be a unique piece of architect and all its history to the county, but as said before, progress moves on. 

 But he was able to save a beautiful piece of the old iron railing that surrounded the second story balcony and it adores the home's front porch today.