1922 - Franklin County Courthouse ~ Union, MO
Posted by: 
YoSam.
N 38° 26.724 W 091° 00.384
15S E 673976 N 4257117
When built the jail cells were on the 2nd floor. A hanging room was built next to the cells, with the trap door opening to the first floor.
Waymark Code: WM7B36
Location: Missouri, United States
Date Posted: 09/29/2009
Views: 2
County of Courthouse: Franklin County.
Location of Courthouse:
401 E. Main St.
Union, MO 63084To finish the store of the trap door begun in the short description: There has never been anyone hung from the "hanging room". As a matter of fact, the hanging room (tho it still exists) has been sealed off, and is not accessible to anyone. The trap door (see photo) is still visible in the ceiling of one of the county clerks offices.
Some court house historic information:
Organized: Dec. 11, 1818
Named after: Benjamin Franklin
County seat: UnionAt a public meeting March 9, 1921, citizens agreed that the building was not worth the estimated $30,000 repair; the 1847 courthouse was razed in February 1922.
Voters authorized construction on the 20th century courthouse in August 1921 in a special election. The court accepted the plans of a St. Louis firm, Bonsack and Pearce, Nov. 16, 1921. Sealed bids for construction were received March 13, 1922, and the court accepted George H. Gassmann's bid of nearly $155,250. Cornerstone ceremonies took place in September 1922.
The three-story, 90-foot-square building with four similar facades is built of reinforced concrete with Carthage and Bedford facing stone. Total costs amounted to more than $200,000. The court received the building in July 1923, and a dedication was held the following month.
In 1975 a second courtroom for the second division of Circuit Court was created in a $42,550 remodeling project, financed by federal revenue sharing funds.
Visit Instructions:
When logging a visit to a waymark in this category, please provide one or more photos taken by yourself, and note down your impressions and any background information you may have.