Jackson County (Mo.)
Historical Society
Historical
Perspective
by David W.
Jackson
Courthouse on the Square has a
rich history
With Independence
Square’s continued revitalization and the historic Truman Courthouse terraces
soon to be restored to their 1933-era beauty, its “high time” to “wind the
clock” on the history of Jackson County’s illustrious Independence
courthouses.
More than one
third of Missouri’s 114 counties boast courthouses over 100 years old,
representing the most architecturally significant building in their county at
the time of construction. Jackson County has the rare distinction of claiming
two surviving 19th century courthouses.
Construction of
the two-room log Courthouse began in 1827 and was completed the following
year. At the time of its construction it was the last county courthouse
between Independence and the Pacific Ocean. Although serving 10 years as a
courthouse, this “temporary” structure has served many uses over the last
180+years, and is currently available for tours at 107 W. Kansas St., in
Independence.
Remodeled 75 years ago under the planning
and supervision of Harry S Truman, then Presiding Judge (akin to today’s
County Executive) of the Jackson County Court (akin to today’s County
Legislature), the landmark Jackson County Courthouse on Independence Square,
listed in 1972 on the National Register of Historic Places, contains remnants
from five earlier courthouses dating to 1836.
After the
log courthouse was erected, construction of permanent brick and stone
courthouse was completed in 1831. But, the building
was improperly constructed and was replaced in 1836. Entombed behind the
marble walls of the current structure’s central
lobby and the paneling of the second floor courtroom stands the
two-foot-thick walls of this 1836 two-story, two-room brick building. A
corner closet in the former marriage license bureau was once one of four
original, tall fireplace flues at each corner of that building.
A tall, thin,
sharp-pointed spire added in 1846 (the year the ill-fated, 250-wagon Donner
party left Independence Square for California) was visible for miles in every
direction on the pioneer landscape for the next six years.
The courthouse was
enlarged in all four directions and newly resurfaced into a modified Greek
Revival style popular at that time between June 1852 and May 1853. The
balanced, symmetrical façade included columned entry porches on the north and
south, and evenly spaced, simple pilasters projecting slightly from all four
walls. The wooden fence previously enclosing the quarter acre,
was removed. A stunted, domed cupola atop a low-pitched hip roof replaced the
prominent 1846 spire. 49’ers rushed by this courthouse post haste for gold in
California. Its walls quartered soldiers and endured bullets fired in Civil
War battles that raged through Independence Square.
In 1872, red
bricks resurfaced and enlarged the structure into a Second Empire style. Fifteen
years later in 1887, ornamentation was removed to streamline building
maintenance issues, among other details. In 1897, a new timepiece was
installed, plus a bell salvaged from a Missouri riverboat.
The entire
building was resurfaced in 1907, this time with buff-colored brick. It served
25 years until a multimillion-dollar bond issue at the beginning of the Great
Depression allowed for, among other public works projects, remodeling into its
present form.
After 75 years of
wear, tear, and attempted renewal, the “new” Truman Courthouse grounds will
soon look as they did when dedicated September 7, 1933, including monuments
and statues of interest, and possibly
native, maintenance-free perennial grasses and flowers reminiscent of Jackson
County’s pioneer days.
“Wind the clock”
today (a saying used by teenagers in the 1930s through 1960s who cruised
one-way around the Courthouse Square)…patronize renovated boutiques and
restaurants…enjoy the Courthouse and grounds…and, consider joining and/or volunteering
with the Friends of the Courthouse for the next phase of interior
renovation.
View the National Register Application:
http://www.dnr.mo.gov/shpo/nps-nr/72000713.pdf
The Truman Heartland Community Foundation
is accepting donations for the courthouse renovation project throught its Web site, www.thcf.org
. Click on any of the blue "Donate Now" buttons.
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