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Old Iroquois County Courthouse

1866 establishments in IllinoisBuildings and structures in Iroquois County, IllinoisCounty courthouses in IllinoisCourthouses on the National Register of Historic Places in IllinoisGovernment buildings completed in 1866
History museums in IllinoisItalianate architecture in IllinoisMuseums in Iroquois County, IllinoisNational Register of Historic Places in Iroquois County, Illinois
Old Iroquois County Courthouse
Old Iroquois County Courthouse

The Old Iroquois County Courthouse, now known as the Iroquois County Museum, is a history museum in Watseka, Illinois, which served as the Iroquois County courthouse from 1866 until 1964. The Italianate building was designed by C.B. Leach and built by contractor A.C. Mantor. In addition to housing county courts and offices, the building also served as the county jail and sheriff's residence. In 1881, an addition was placed on the building, and the courthouse's octagonal tower was replaced by a square tower. A second addition was constructed in 1927; in the same year, the courthouse's copper dome was removed and replaced by a mansard roof.When a new courthouse was built in 1964, county officials planned to demolish the old courthouse; however, local outcry convinced the county to temporarily save the building. The courthouse sat disused and neglected until 1967, when the Iroquois County Historical Society formed and purchased the building for a museum. The museum is the home of the county's genealogical records library and includes collections of minerals and fossils, Native American artifacts, antique dolls, and numerous other historical items. The original courtroom is now used as a theater and concert hall.The courthouse was added to the National Register of Historic Places on June 13, 1975.

Excerpt from the Wikipedia article Old Iroquois County Courthouse (License: CC BY-SA 3.0, Authors, Images).

Old Iroquois County Courthouse
West Cherry Street,

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N 40.774444444444 ° E -87.735555555556 °
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Iroqouis County Historical Museum

West Cherry Street 103
60970
Illinois, United States
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iroquoiscountyhistoricalsociety.com

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Old Iroquois County Courthouse
Old Iroquois County Courthouse
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Watseka Union Depot
Watseka Union Depot

The Watseka Union Depot is a historic railway station located on South Second Street in Watseka, Illinois. The depot was built in 1906 to accommodate traffic on the Chicago and Eastern Illinois Railroad through the city; it also served the Toledo, Peoria and Western Railway's line. Railway service through Watseka began in 1858, when the Peoria and Oquawka Railroad (a predecessor of the TP&W) opened a line through the city; the Chicago, Danville and Vincennes Railroad, which became part of the C&EI, began passenger service to Watseka in 1871 and soon accounted for the bulk of the city's rail traffic. The TP&W provided a plan for the new depot in 1904, which was similar to other stations along its line. The Watseka Women's Club provided planning input on the city's behalf; their influence resulted in the addition of a women's waiting room and a more monumental station with a depot park, both uncommon elements in a station serving a city of Watseka's size. By 1916, the new station served six trains which started or ended service in Watseka and twelve through routes; the line through Watseka remained profitable through the 1940s, and the city retained C&EI service until 1971.The depot was nominated for the National Register of Historic Places in 1988; it was determined eligible, but was not listed due to an objection from the railways that owned the station. In 1989–90, the building was moved to save it from demolition; its National Register eligibility was revoked due to the move, but it was nominated again and listed on December 22, 1999.