County of atatue: Lawrence County
Location of atatue: W. Dallas St. & N. Market St., atop courthouse, Mt. Vernon
Built: 1900
Architect: G.E. McDonald of Nebraska
Architectural Style: Romanesque Revival
Contractor: T.A. Miller of Aurora, Mo
"The courthouse is an excellent example of Romanesque Revival architecture with its
rock-faced stonework and rounded arches. It stands in the center of a 270' square .
lot in the center of the townsquare. The courthouse not only dominates Mt. Vernon
by its massive size and impressive architecture, but it also commands the surrounding
countryside with its clock and bell tower surmounted with a statue of Lady Justice
that can be seen miles away as Mt. Vernon is situated upon a hill.
"The elevation of the structure consists of a basement, first and second stories, an
attic, and a bell and clock tower. ...
" ... Each gable and
pediment constitutes the termination of a gable roof which intersects the clock and
bell tower which rises from the central vertical axis of the courthouse. ...
" ... The attic is contained within the pediments,
stepped gables, the corner towers, and the bottom level of the bell and clock tower.
The tower consists of a base, the center section which is rectangular and houses the
bell, and the roof which is a polygonal ogee shape. There are clock faces on all
four sides and they are placed at the juncture of the tower proper and its roof.
The tower is surmounted by a statue of Lady Justice ... " ~ NRHP Nomination Form
"Artwork depicting the Lady of Justice statue, whether in the form of paintings, sculptures, coats of arms or metal statues, is found throughout the world. If you’re in North or South America, Europe, Africa, the Middle East, Southern and Eastern Asia, and Australasia, you will likely see the Lady of Justice statue in courthouses, law offices and legal educational institutions. The history of the Lady Justice statue goes back many thousands of years, and she typically carries symbols of justice.
"The concept of Lady Justice is very old, dating back to ancient Greek and Egyptian times. Themis, the Greek goddess, represented the law, order, and justice, while the Egyptians had Ma’at, who stood for order and carried both a sword and the Feather of Truth. The most direct comparison, however, is with the Roman goddess of justice, Justitia.
"The Lady Justice statue is usually in the form of a woman who is standing or sitting. She is typically dressed in a toga-like robe, maybe barefoot, and her hair is either flowing over her shoulders or braided in a bun or around her head. She holds a balance, or two-tray scale in one hand and a sword in the other; usually the scales are in the left hand and the sword in the right, but this is not always so. Sometimes, she also wears a blindfold over her eyes." ~ Heather + Little, LTD.