Stephenson County Courthouse

Stephenson County Courthouse
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
The present courthouse, built on the site of the historic 1870 courthouse
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Interactive map showing the location of Stephenson County Courthouse
Location	Courthouse Sq., Freeport, Illinois
Coordinates	42°17′53″N 89°37′19″W
Area	1 acre (0.40 ha)
Built	1870 (1870)
Architect	Elijah E. Myers
Architectural style	Second Empire
NRHP reference No.	74002284[1]
Added to NRHP	January 17, 1974

The Stephenson County Courthouse, located on Courthouse Square in Freeport, is the county courthouse serving Stephenson County, Illinois. The present courthouse was built in 1975, replacing a historic courthouse built on the site in 1870. Elijah E. Myers, who went on to design three state capitols, designed the 1870 courthouse in the Second Empire style; the building, which featured a mansard roof and a projecting entrance pavilion, was Myers' only Second Empire work.^[2] The 1870 courthouse was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1974, but it was demolished later that year as insufficient for the county's needs; despite its demolition, it remains listed on the National Register.^[1][3] The present courthouse was completed the following year, though by 2008, it was also reported to have insufficient space for the county's needs.^[4]

References

1. "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. July 9, 2010.
2. Schultz, D.S. (December 1973). "National Register of Historic Places Inventory - Nomination Form: Stephenson County Courthouse". National Archives and Records Administration. Retrieved June 19, 2016.
3. Levan, Jean (April 17, 1974). "The 109 Year Old Stephenson County Courthouse - It's Doomed". Chicago Sun-Times. Retrieved June 19, 2016.
4. Crowther, Katie (June 4, 2008). "Stephenson County Courthouse Reaches Maximum Capacity". WREX. Retrieved June 19, 2016.