Lapeer County Courthouse
Encyclopedia
The Lapeer County Courthouse is county courthouse
located on Courthouse Square along West Nepissing Street in the city of Lapeer
in Lapeer County
, Michigan
. It was designated as a Michigan State Historic Site
on September 17, 1957 and later added to the National Register of Historic Places
on September 3, 1971. It was the first property in Lapeer County to be listed on either registry.
The courthouse is a rectangular, brick, two-story structure built on a raised foundation in the style of Greek Revival
architecture. On the inside, the circuit court rooms are located on the top floor; administrative offices are located on the ground floor; and the district court is located in the basement. The building also houses the Lapeer County Historical Society Museum. With limited space, the police station, probate court, jail, and several other offices and courtrooms are now located behind the courthouse in a newer complex located at 255 Clay Street.
The Lapeer County Courthouse is among the earliest of its kind built in the state. It is recognized as the oldest original courthouse structure still in use in the state of Michigan and one of the 10 oldest such structures in all of the country. Lapeer County was formed in 1822 with the city of Lapeer being established as the county seat in 1831. The structure is recognized as having been first constructed in 1839, although this represents an earlier structure built on the site. The date on the pediment
states 1846, which is the date that the current structure was completed—having been started the previous year. It was commissioned by state representative and state senator Alvin H. Hart, who lobbied successfully for Lapeer to continue to serve as the county seat
. Hart sold the structure to the Board of Supervisors of Lapeer County for $4,500 in 1853. The first local Grange in Michigan was founded at this site in 1872. Since its construction, the only alteration to the structure occurred when three doorways were cut into the portico
in 1938.
Courthouse
A courthouse is a building that is home to a local court of law and often the regional county government as well, although this is not the case in some larger cities. The term is common in North America. In most other English speaking countries, buildings which house courts of law are simply...
located on Courthouse Square along West Nepissing Street in the city of Lapeer
Lapeer, Michigan
Lapeer is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan and is the county seat of Lapeer County. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 8,841. Most of the city was incorporated from land that was formerly in Lapeer Township, though portions were also annexed from Mayfield Township and Elba...
in Lapeer County
Lapeer County, Michigan
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 87,904 people, 30,729 households, and 23,876 families residing in the county. The population density was 134 people per square mile . There were 32,732 housing units at an average density of 50 per square mile...
, Michigan
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
. It was designated as a Michigan State Historic Site
Michigan State Historic Preservation Office
The Michigan State Historic Preservation Office is in charge of the listing of historic resources of local, state, and national interest in the U.S. state of Michigan, including buildings, lighthouses, bridges, historic districts, and many other properties deemed important to the history of Michigan...
on September 17, 1957 and later added to the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
on September 3, 1971. It was the first property in Lapeer County to be listed on either registry.
The courthouse is a rectangular, brick, two-story structure built on a raised foundation in the style of Greek Revival
Greek Revival architecture
The Greek Revival was an architectural movement of the late 18th and early 19th centuries, predominantly in Northern Europe and the United States. A product of Hellenism, it may be looked upon as the last phase in the development of Neoclassical architecture...
architecture. On the inside, the circuit court rooms are located on the top floor; administrative offices are located on the ground floor; and the district court is located in the basement. The building also houses the Lapeer County Historical Society Museum. With limited space, the police station, probate court, jail, and several other offices and courtrooms are now located behind the courthouse in a newer complex located at 255 Clay Street.
The Lapeer County Courthouse is among the earliest of its kind built in the state. It is recognized as the oldest original courthouse structure still in use in the state of Michigan and one of the 10 oldest such structures in all of the country. Lapeer County was formed in 1822 with the city of Lapeer being established as the county seat in 1831. The structure is recognized as having been first constructed in 1839, although this represents an earlier structure built on the site. The date on the pediment
Pediment
A pediment is a classical architectural element consisting of the triangular section found above the horizontal structure , typically supported by columns. The gable end of the pediment is surrounded by the cornice moulding...
states 1846, which is the date that the current structure was completed—having been started the previous year. It was commissioned by state representative and state senator Alvin H. Hart, who lobbied successfully for Lapeer to continue to serve as the county seat
County seat
A county seat is an administrative center, or seat of government, for a county or civil parish. The term is primarily used in the United States....
. Hart sold the structure to the Board of Supervisors of Lapeer County for $4,500 in 1853. The first local Grange in Michigan was founded at this site in 1872. Since its construction, the only alteration to the structure occurred when three doorways were cut into the portico
Portico
A portico is a porch leading to the entrance of a building, or extended as a colonnade, with a roof structure over a walkway, supported by columns or enclosed by walls...
in 1938.