Michigan is extremely lucky to have such unique and beautiful county courthouses. In other parts of the United States, the original structures are often demolished and replaced with ugly, box-like buildings, but the county seats of Michigan seem to have a reverence for their historic courthouses. Sometimes, the buildings are restored and used not for government purposes, but as museums or tourist centers. In the case of the Muskegon County Courthouse, the building -- an imposing castle-like structure -- has been converted into the base for the local Board of Education.
Whatever their current use may be, Michigan's county courthouses are worth checking out. Most of them have beautiful ornamentation and exterior detail, and some are even adorned with mascarons or other gargoyle-ish figures. A common feature is a cupola or dome, though there are several exceptions throughout the state.
The solidly-built Muskegon County Courthouse in Muskegon.
The recently-restored Eaton County Courthouse in Charlotte. It was built in 1883.
The Lenawee County Courthouse in Adrian.
Built in 1904, the Ingham County Courthouse in Mason was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1971.
The beautiful Chippewa County Courthouse in Sault Ste. Marie was built in 1877 and is also listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
The Van Buren County Courthouse in Paw Paw, built in 1901. This building has some fantastic ornamentation.
Traverse City's Grand Traverse County Courthouse, built in 1900, is a very plain structure free of almost all exterior ornamentation.
The Hillsdale County Courthouse in Hillsdale -- quite similar to the Van Buren County Courthouse.
Of course, there are many more lovely courthouses in this state, and as I continue to explore Michigan, I'll be sure to visit the county seats and photograph their courthouses.
I'd also like to congratulate the Detroit Tigers for their champagne-soaked series victory over the New York Yankees!
Today, in American Architecture class, we discussed the Greek Revival style. Its roots in this country can be traced back to the Virginia State Capitol, designed by Thomas Jefferson and built in 1788. Generally, the style started to appear in both public and private buildings around 1820. Based on both Roman and Greek temples, the Greek Revival style was especially prevalent in government buildings and banks. This style of architecture represented democracy, stability, and trust -- an image that the newly-formed United States of America wanted to convey both to its citizens and to other countries.
The Greek Revival style was also used for private residences. Many of these houses, built by the rich and elite of America, were mansions of grand proportions. Others were more humble and less ornate. The Kempf House, built in 1853, is one of Ann Arbor's most celebrated structures. This small Greek Revival residence on South Division Street is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The plaque outside the Kempf House reads:
Cast iron grills in an ancient Greek floral motif highlight the frieze of this temple-front Greek Revival house. Built in 1853 for Henry D. Bennett, Secretary and Steward of the University of Michigan, it became the home and studio of local musicians Reuben H. and Pauline Widenmann Kempf in 1890. [. . . ] The city of Ann Arbor purchased the house in 1969, and in 1983 it became the Kempf House Center for Local History.
Monday was another beautiful day in Marquette. The sky was clear as a bell, the trees were glowing with color, and it was warm and breezy and just all-around gorgeous. As far as I'm concerned, that's as good as it gets in the Upper Peninsula, whether it's autumn or otherwise. Unlike many students, I feel guilty if I stay inside on such a fine day -- it's like you're voluntarily jailing yourself within a 12'-by-12' cell. So, I decided to go downtown with my friend Ashlee. By bike, downtown Marquette is about fifteen minutes or less from the Northern Michigan University campus. It's not an incredibly challenging ride, though there are some hills along the way (riding back is quite a bit more difficult). Having just finished a relatively easy American Architecture exam, Ashlee and I were shouting out various architectural terms as we passed by buildings that exhibited said characteristics ("Look! Quoins!").
It was a great day for a walk downtown. We went inside the post office (built in 1935), and saw that it has a great mural and plenty of art deco ornamentation. We also considered venturing inside the Old City Hall, but realized that the front entrance isn't supposed to be used (for fear of falling sandstone). However, there is a plaque outside the building, and here is some of what it said:
The Marquette City Hall, designed by Lovejoy and Demar, was constructed in 1894 of locally quarried red sandstone in the eclectic style that reflects the popular tastes of its time. It was an imposing structure that included all municipal departments and functioned as a center for large gatherings. The auditorium was used for conventions, a temporary high school, and a drill location for local guards during World War I. [ . . . ] Peter O'Dovero purchased this building in 1975, restored it, and renovated it as office space. Old City Hall is currently listed on the National Register of Historic Places and the Michigan Register of Historic Places.
Another view of this superb building.
I'll move on, though, to this post's namesake: Marquette's windows. They're quite colorful, whether they're set in painted brick or sandstone.
The internet and several cellular providers were down yesterday (the tower in Green Bay, Wisconsin was damaged), so while many students wasted their time complaining about their computers and cell phones, we went downtown and saw some great architecture -- and maybe even got a tan in the process.
This past Friday, I had the opportunity to finally break free from the NMU campus and wander around downtown Marquette. In a respite from the cloudy weather we'd been having all week, it was a gorgeous day -- the windows were shining, the granite was sparkling, and the architecture looked as beautiful as ever.
The bulk of the structures in downtown Marquette were built between the late 1870s and the early 1900s. Because of its local availability, sandstone (especially of the red variety) is one of the primary building materials. Sandstone doesn't weather very well -- especially not in Michigan's environment -- but its softness allows for intricate detailing and ornamentation.
The Marquette County Courthouse, built in 1903, is a handsome building constructed from sandstone blocks.
The old City Hall is one of the most colorful buildings in downtown Marquette.
Sandstone is used for the intricate detailing on the entryway arch and around the windows.
The Savings Bank, one of the most prominent buildings in downtown Marquette, is constructed from brick but also features sandstone detailing.
St. Paul's Episcopal Church, like many of the churches in town, is built from sandstone and exhibits some ornate details.
Some of the decorative elements on the church are intact.
Other sandstone details are eroding away with time and weather.
In time, I will discuss the architecture (both sandstone and otherwise) of Marquette further.
