The Ingham County Courthouse is an historic government building located at 315 South Jefferson Street in Mason, Ingham County, Michigan. It occupies an entire city block bounded by South Jefferson, East Ash, South Barnes and East Maple Street.Mapquest maps Constructed from 1902 to 1904, it is Ingham County's third courthouse and the second on this block, which is directly north of the site of the first courthouse. Designed by noted Lansing architect Edwyn A. Bowd in the Beaux Arts style of architecture, it was built by George W. Rickman and Sons Company of Kalamazoo.
The Ingham County Courthouse was listed on the Michigan Register of Historic Places on May 18, 1971 and was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on December 13, 1971.
Overview Today building is the official county seat of government, although some administrative functions are conducted at the Veterans Memorial Courthouse at 313 West Kalamazoo Street and at other locations in Lansing, the county's largest city as well as the capital of Michigan. The building houses the Ingham County Board of Commissioners, County Clerk, County Controller, County Treasurer, Register of Deeds, Equalization Department and 30th Circuit Court.
History Construction on the new courthouse began in fall 1902, with the cornerstone laid on May 5, 1903, and completion at the end of 1904 at a cost of $96,678. The courthouse was dedicated on May 9, 1905. It underwent a renovation from 1980 to 1995.
Architecture The courthouse is three stories and designed in the Federal and Beaux Arts styles. The exterior of the is faced in Berea Sandstone quarried in Amherst, Ohio, with a black Buckingham Slate roof. In 1912, the building's clock was purchased from Seth Thomas Clock Co. and its bell from McShane Bell Foundry.
In the news Famous trials, real or fictional, which have taken place here include: 1969: The Algiers Motel incident murder trial of Detroit police officer Ronald August was moved to the Ingham County Courthouse from Wayne County after the publication of John Hersey's 1968 book on the incident.Google News: Sarasota Journal, May 13, 1969. accessed Dec. 25, 2011Google Books, Sugrue, Thomas J., "John Hersey and the Tragedy of Race," introduction to John Hersey, The Algiers Motel Incident, Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press, 1998 2011: The courthouse scenes of the film Real Steel starring Hugh Jackman were taken at the Ingham County Courthouse. 2017-18: Former USA Gymnastics doctor Larry Nassar pled guilty and was sentenced to a de facto life sentence for child sexual abuse in 2017-18. Many victim impact statements became highly publicized stories as part of the Me Too movement. One of Nassar's three cases related to the USA Gymnastics sexual abuse scandal was carried out at the Ingham County Courthouse.
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References
External links
Ingham County official website