Genesee County Courthouse and Jail
About this property
The Genesee County Courthouse is a government building located at 920 South Saginaw Street in Flint, Michigan. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1990. Genesee County was carved out in 1835, and the land for the courthouse square was immediately identified. The owners at the time donated it to the county at the end of the year, and the county government was formally recognized by the territory of Michigan in 1836. The county courts first met in various stores, and the first courthouse at the current site, a log structure, was constructed in 1838–1839. The log building was deemed unsafe to hold county records, and in 1851 a brick office building was added. The log courthouse burned in 1866, and by 1867 the county constructed a new courthouse, jail, and sheriff's office. By the early 1900s, these buildings were too small for the county, and in 1904–1905, a new a new Renaissance Revival-style courthouse and jail were constructed. The 1905 courthouse burned in 1923, and after much wrangling, voters approved the construction of a new courthouse in 1925. Frederick D. Madison of Royal Oak, Michigan, was selected as architect and F. R. Patterson Construction Company, also of Royal Oak, was selected as the contractor. Work began in 1925, and was completed in 1926. A new matching jail, also designed by Madison, was constructed in 1930–1931. A new county building was constructed in 1966, and some county functions were moved, but the main courthouse remained in use. An addition to the jail was constructed in 1971. In 1999, ground was broken on a substantial addition. Renovation of the 1931 courthouse was also carried out, and the building was rededicated in 1923. The Genesee County Courthouse is a five-story, rectangular, Classical Revival, reinforced concrete-frame building. It is faced in Indiana limestone. The main facade is divided visually into three horizontal bands. The two-story base is finished in stone and capped with a classical cornice. Atop that is a two-story section containing a row of monumental extending across the central section of the facade. Atop the columns is a classical entablature, above which is a massive flat-topped parapet. On the interior, the older section of the courthouse contains seven courtrooms. Nearby is the former county jail, which is a six-story building, which is constructed in a similar scale, and from similar materials, as the courthouse.
Location
Categories
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 Genesee County Courthouse and Jail
This page lists Genesee County Courthouse and Jail. A full Aubrey report for an address near it pulls together this listing alongside battlefield records, land patents, and every other historical record within a chosen radius:
Every location is different. Not every section appears for every place, only what the historical record actually holds turns up in a report.
Questions about this property
When was Genesee County Courthouse and Jail listed on the National Register?
Genesee County Courthouse and Jail was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on May 23, 1990.
What type of historic resource is Genesee County Courthouse and Jail?
Genesee County Courthouse and Jail is classified as a building in the National Register of Historic Places.
What is the period of significance for Genesee County Courthouse and Jail?
The period of significance for Genesee County Courthouse and Jail is recorded as the industrial era.
Can I research the history near Genesee County Courthouse and Jail?
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 Genesee County Courthouse and Jail will include this listing and all other historical records in the area.
More in Genesee County
Historic places, battles, and census history across Genesee County.
Explore GeneseeCounty ›More historic places in Michigan
Browse all historic places in Michigan.
View Michiganhistoric sites ›Research the history near this site
An Aubrey US report for an address near Genesee County Courthouse and Jail will include this listing alongside battlefield records and other historical sources within your chosen radius.