Uinta County Courthouse - Wyoming Historical Markers on Waymarking.com

The Uinta County Courthouse complex, occupying a full city block in Evanston, is characteristic of the traditional courthouse square found in small towns across the country: the courthouse building is located in the center of the block; trees spaced singly, or in clusters, are found within the block; and it contains some sidewalk, a flagpole, and a memorial dedicated to the veterans of the Civil War, Spanish American War, and World War I. Recent developments have altered the character of the square considerably, and of the original buildings only the courthouse itself remains standing. The two-story brick jail, built in 1887, and forming an organic part of the courthouse complex, was demolished in May, 1976 to clear the land for construction of a new public safety facility.

The Uinta County Courthouse is actually the result of three stages of development. The first is the 1873 jail, a two-story brick structure, 16' 0" by 36' 4", built in the center of the square. It was not intended to be freestanding for any length of time and is a simple structure, devoid of ornamentation. The second part of the courthouse, 54' 0" by 40' 4" in size and built onto the jail in 1874, shows more of a recognition of architectural styles prevailing at the time. The stilted segmental arches, low-pitched roof, and overscaled cornice and brackets are characteristics of the High Victorian Italianate style which was then popular in America. Some eclecticism is evident in the simple massing of the building and in the central double portico at the front. In 1910 the portico was removed, and a two-story brick addition, was constructed at the front, or west end, of the courthouse. It changes the scale and character of the courthouse from that of a relatively simple, territorial building to a more pretentious, more national building. The addition is essentially Georgian Revival, characterized by strict bilateral symmetry of the front, a classical, pedimented portico containing Ionic columns and entablature, corbelled brick quoins capped by brief egg-and-dart caps, and a semi-circular fanlight over the front entrance. The roof departs from classical form somewhat in that it is hipped and covered with ceramic tiles.

The building stands virtually unchanged since the completion of the last part in 1910. The sandstone columns, capitals and sills are in excellent condition, although the water table and foundation walls are beginning to spall. The bricks on the earliest two parts have been stained a deep red using a mixture which reportedly contained, among other ingredients, slaughter house blood and stale beer. The wooden windows and doors are in fair to good condition.

The future of the courthouse is uncertain. The Uinta County government has outgrown the building and needs more office space, and the courthouse faces possible expansion or even demolition in the not-too-distant future.

Marker Name: Uinta County Courthouse Marker Type: City Group Responsible for Placement: Wyoming State Historical Society Marker Number: 105 Web link(s) for additional information: [Web Link] Addtional Information: Not listed Date Dedicated: Not listed

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