History of Springfield, Illinois, its attractions as a home and advantages for business, manufacturing, etc. Pub. under the auspices of the Springfield board of trade, by J. C. Power.

12 SPRINGFIELDI ILLINOIS, AND
prevail, and we find the result in a con- the value of their property. After distract, on file at the office of the County cussing the question in all its bearings, it
Clerk, made in September, 1825, for build- was found that the only practicable way
ing another Court House. Log buildings to settle the question was to demolish the
could be no longer tolerated, and this Court House and use the square for the
was to be a frame. The contract price State House. Then those in business
was $449 00, but it was too big a thing around it would contribute to the $50,to let it all in one contract, so the build- 000 fund to the extent of their ability.
ing of the flues was let to another party The Court House was accordingly refor $70 00, making a total of $519 00. moved, early in 1837, and work on the
The old log Court House was sold for State House commenced. This square,
$32 00. The new frame Court House with the (Court House and other buildwas at the northeast corner of Adams and ings on it, were valued at the time at
Sixth streets,opposite where the American about $16,000.
House now stands. Having thus summarily disposed of
Only a few years elapsed until the their Court House, and having engaged
frame Court house was thought to be in- to do so much towards building the State
adequate to the wants of the people. We House, the people of Sangamon Co. were
find it on record in the county archives unable to undertake the building of
that in February, 1830, the county court another. To supply the deficiency, the
appointed three agents or commissioners county authorities then rented a building
to superintend the erection of a brick that had been erected for a storehouse by
Court House. On the third of March, the Hon. Ninian W. Edwards. This
the commissioners reported to the court building at the west side of Fifth street,
that they had entered into contracts with five doors north of Washington, was used
two parties. One for the brick work at as a Court House for about ten years. It
$4,641, the other for the wood work at still belongs to Mr. Edwards and is now
$2,200, making a total of $6,841. This receiving some additions and undergoing
edifice was completed early in 1831 and some alterations and repairs, in order to
stood in the centre of the public square, fit it up for a first-class business house.
where the State House now stands. This After the State. House was built, the
old Court House was a square building, $50,000 paid, and the county emerged
two stories high, hip roof, with a cupola from the general wreck, accompanying
rising in the centre. the financial crash of 1837-8, Sangamon
From the time the brick Court House county once more began to take measures
was erected, all the business of the town for erecting another Court House. In the
collected around the square. When month of February, 1845, a lot of ground
Springfield was selected as the future was purchased at the southeast corner of
Capital of the State in 1837, with a pledge Washington and Sixth streets, preparato raise $50,000 to assist in building the tory to building. April 22, 1845, a conState House, also to furnish the land upon tract was made by the county commiswhich to place it, it was not an easy mat- sioners for building the new Court House,
ter to agree upon a location. If land was according to plans and specifications preselected far enough from the existing viouslyadopted. The new building was
business to be cheap, then the $50,000 to cost $9,680, and to be paid for in
could not be raised; those already in county orders. It was completed accordbusiness around the square refused to ing to contract and is yet used as the
contribute because the State IIouse being Court House of Sangamon county.
so much larger and more attractive, would In giving the prices paid for all these
draw the business after it, thus injuring Court Houses, no attentionhas been given