1890 - Crystal Falls Courthouse, Crystal Falls Michigan - Dated Buildings and Cornerstones on Waymarking.com

Located in Crystal Falls, the Iron County Court House was constructed 1890. Work on the building began in July 1890. The cornerstone of the building was laid in September 1890 and by November the walls of the building were completed.

Built in 1890, the Courthouse was designed by Architect J.C. Clancy. Originally from Antigo, Wisconsin. Clancy also designed several buildings which are on the National Register for Historic Places, including: the Florence Courthouse and Jail; the Dickinson County Courthouse and Jail; and the Carnegie Library in Iron Mountain, which has now become the Iron Range Museum.

This courthouse is characteristic of the Romanesque revival period. The imposing castle-like structure features a high pitched roof, large windows (100 inches tall and varying from 21 to 48 inches wide), deeply arched doorways, turrets and intricate ornamentation. A bid of $26,770 by Louis A. Webber of Menasha was accepted by the county board for construction. The final cost rose to about $40,000. In September of 1890, the cornerstone was laid. $2,700 was paid to C.T. Crandall, an early Prosecuting Attorney, for the land on which the courthouse was built. William Russell, a Crystal Falls Building Contractor, as well as a County Commissioner, was the contractor to dig out and build the foundation. This building was described "to the Queen's taste" and "the finest building Northwest of Milwaukee or Detroit" in 1891.

The Courthouse was recognized as a Michigan Historical Site first in 1974 with help from the Iron County Landmark Survey Committee. And then, on the National Register at a Dedication Ceremony on August 13,1977. At the corner of the sidewalk, closest to the street, you will see a sign marking the placement of a Time Capsule which was filled and then buried on Flag Day, 2001. and is slated to be opened in 2040, the 150th anniversary of the Courthouse.

Source: Iron County Courthouse Tour booklet, available at https://ironmi.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/IronCountyTour.pdf

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