Old
Knox County Courthouse
Karen
S. Lynch
History
Speaks-Knoxville Celebrates 175 Years (Jan. 15, 1831)
The four Doric columns in the
front of the Old Knox County Courthouse in Knoxville demonstrate the grandeur
of a Greek Revival Architecture building, in sharp contrast to the humble log
structure it replaced. The two-story building, designed by John Mandeville and
constructed by Alvah Wheeler and Zelotes Cooley, built from once locally
produced brick at a cost of $15,450. The courthouse was completed in late 1839 and
used from 1840 until 1873, when the county seat moved to Galesburg after a
bitter battle; not the last between Knoxville and Galesburg when a similar
battle took place over the location of the railroad.
John Sanburn founded Knox County on Jan. 15, 1831, once named
Henderson Town. The name of the town changed to Knoxville in 1833, named after
General Henry Knox, Secretary of War in George WashingtonÕs first cabinet. When
the Old Knox County Courthouse was in use in 1840 in Knoxville, the population
of the state was less than half a million with Chicago incorporated for only
three years. The largest city in Illinois at that time was Nauvoo with about
twenty thousand people, mostly of the Mormon faith.
Heating in the old courthouse was primarily
by fireplace and most of the interior pine and butternut woodwork is original. Many
of the original blown glass windows still exist. The east room, named the Henry
Knox Room contains two fireplaces and mantles that are the originals. As space
became insufficient, a separate Hall of Records was built in 1854, to hold the
growing accumulation of records. The east room once held the old horse-drawn
fire wagon and you can still see the outline where the doors were located on
the north side of the building. The final expansion was the addition of the
twin iron stairways, added in 1874 within the portico to provide a separate
entrance to the second story courtroom and offices.
The courtroom was on the second floor where Stephen A.
Douglas was circuit judge and held court in Knoxville from 1841 to 1843.
Douglas debated Abraham Lincoln for Congress. Lincoln stayed in the Hebard
house in Knoxville the night before the debate at Knox College, held on Oct. 7,
1858. The top hat worn by Stephen Douglas, while he served as a circuit judge,
is now part of the collection on the second floor museum. There is also the
Lincoln buggy, used during his campaign in Oct. of 1858 for the Senate. The
courthouse museum also contains the bed Lincoln slept in at Mayor SandersonÕs
house on the corner of Broad and Simmons Streets in Galesburg, where the
Galesburg Library is now located.
The Courthouse fell into disrepair and
a restoration project began in 1953. According to an article in the ÒJournal
StarÓ in 1971, ÒThe carpentry of Franklin Burgess in the old courthouse borders
on artistry. But he is hesitant to tell you about his work. The credit belongs
somewhere else, according to him. Burgess and Carlisle Smith, former President
of the Historical Site, Inc. insisted the other was responsible for the work.Ó
Burgess replicated the original design of the cupola in 1973, but made lighter
after removing the old one in the late 1800Õs because it was too heavy for the
roof.
The west room on the first floor
contains the NationÕs largest collection of Abingdon pottery. That room also
houses memorabilia from early schools that no longer exist. The entire second
floor became a museum in 1961. It contains not only the Lincoln and Douglas
artifacts, but also the first Brown Corn Planter, and the prototype for the
Illinois State Flag, designed by Lucy Dervent, Rockford, who won a $25 prize
for the winning DAR Chapter. There is a display of old Purington brick and
photos of the old brick works. Old photos and a replica of the PEO home that once
occupied a prominent block in the center of town, since demolished. There are
displays of Civil war clothing, Indian artifacts, and old farm implements and
tools that demonstrate early pioneer life.
Tours of the Courthouse and other
historic buildings in the center of Knoxville are open on Sundays from 2-4 p.m.
May through September. Private tours may be arranged by calling the Knoxville
City Hall at 309-289-2814 with no fee for the tour, but a freewill donation is
appreciated.
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