Berrien Springs Courthouse
About this property
The Berrien Springs Courthouse (1839 County Courthouse) is a former government building located at the corner of Union and Cass Streets in Berrien Springs, Michigan. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1970. It is the oldest courthouse in Michigan and today is part of the History Center at Courthouse Square and is operated by the Berrien County Historical Association. Berrien County was first organized in 1831 after initially being part of Cass County. The location of the county seat was in flux for the first few years, with court and county business being held in Niles and St. Joseph. After some discussion, it was decided in 1837 to move to the more geographically central Berrien Springs. Among the first order of business, the county commissioners established the need for a courthouse and a jail. While they chose to build a two-story wooden jail first, the commissioners sought bids for the courthouse. Local architect Gilbert B. Avery, won the bid with his Greek Revival design and builder James Lewis was awarded a contract to erect the building for $2,500; construction was completed in by early April 1839 and Circuit Court Judge Epaphroditus Ransom convene the building's first session on April 11. In 1963, it was discovered the building's foundation was facing serious rot issues and the county approved the repairs. However, instead of merely replacing the wood of the existing foundation, the building was raised three feet and all wood was replaced with brick. Because the Courthouse's height was raised just enough, the county agreed, the former wooden steps leading to the second story of the building were unsafe. Instead an internal stairwell was installed. The front columns were given new bases, which can still be seen today. The height was certainly appreciated by workers on the first floor, who handled the law library, records office, and additional office space for court personnel. After the county seat was moved from Berrien Springs to St. Joseph in 1894, the Courthouse and the remaining Courthouse Square buildings remained under the ownership of the County for the next few years. Residents of Berrien Springs and the surrounding areas continued to use the Courthouse as a de facto community center, hosting a dance hall, community events, lectures, and relocated the armory for the Berrien Springs Light Guard to the location. Briefly, the Courthouse, along with the other county buildings, served as the campus of Andrews University, then known as Emmanuel Missionary College, for their first school year in Berrien Springs (1901-1902)
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Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).
Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
Everything a full report reveals about Berrien Springs Courthouse
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Questions about this property
When was Berrien Springs Courthouse listed on the National Register?
Berrien Springs Courthouse was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on February 15, 1970.
What type of historic resource is Berrien Springs Courthouse?
Berrien Springs Courthouse is classified as a building in the National Register of Historic Places.
What is the period of significance for Berrien Springs Courthouse?
The period of significance for Berrien Springs Courthouse is recorded as the industrial era.
Can I research the history near Berrien Springs Courthouse?
Yes. Aubrey Research reports search National Register listings, battlefield records, land patents, and other primary historical sources within any radius of a US address. A report for an address near Berrien Springs Courthouse will include this listing and all other historical records in the area.
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