Vigo County Courthouse - Terre Haute, IN
Posted by: 
YoSam.
N 39° 27.939 W 087° 24.900
16S E 464301 N 4368534
"Since it's beginning the Courthouse Square has been the focal point of activity in the Wabash Valley." - Vigo County
Waymark Code: WM183VH
Location: Indiana, United States
Date Posted: 05/25/2023
Views: 1
County of Memorial: Vigo County
Location of Memorial: 3rd St. & Ohio St., courthouse lawn, Terre Haute
"After Vigo County was officially formed by the legislature in 1818 county meetings were held in the homes of prominent local businessmen Truman Blackman and Curtis Gilbert. The County Commissioners at the time, (John Hamilton, Ezra Jones, and Isaac Lambert), made the decision to begin construction of an official county courthouse. Construction was begun in 1818 on a two story brick building with a small cupola. The first courthouse was located on the grounds approximately where the current courthouse stands. The first courthouse was completed in 1822 and was used until 1866, when it had to be abandoned due to failing construction. By 1868 the building was razed.
"The large, four story, brick building on the northeast corner of third and Ohio streets became the "temporary courthouse", and served in that capacity for 22 years. The current courthouse was started with the laying of the 10,000lb cornerstone on August 14, 1884 and completed in 1888. The architect was Samuel Hannaford of Cincinnati, Ohio, and the builder was Terre Haute Stone Co. who completed the building for a cost of $443,000.00. The new courthouse was dedicated June 7, 1888.
"The current courthouse was designed in the French Neo-Barogue style which was very popular in the 1880's. This style is sometimes referred to as "Stone Quarry Style" because of the elaborate use of stone decoration, ornate columns, oversized keystones, etc. The building is 226 feet in width from north to south, 277 feet long from east to west, and 88 feet high, while the total height measured from the ground to the top of the cupola is 284 feet. The building is constructed from Indiana limestone from the Stinesville quarries. A special order was made by the county commissioners for the clock atop the dome, in which it was expressly provided that the gong should be the Francis Vigo memorial bell." ~ Vigo County