National Register of Historic Places

Mason County Courthouse

Ludington, Mason County, Michigan
Listed
May 18, 1988
Type
Building
Period
Industrial
Ref No.
88000602

About this property

The Mason County Courthouse is a courthouse located at 300 East Ludington Avenue in Ludington, Michigan. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1988. The first courthouse in Mason County was located in the two-story home of Burr Caswell, who turned over the home to the county in 1856. In 1861 the courthouse was moved to a store building located in the now-vanished village of Little Sauble in the north of the county. In 1873 the county seat was moved to the more centrally located village of Ludington, and a single-story county office building was built. Although this building was enlarged, it was quickly outgrown, and in 1892 voters approved the construction of a new courthouse. The courthouse square was acquired in 1893, and the county hired Grand Rapids architect Sidney J. Osgood to design a new courthouse. Construction began later that year and was completed in September 1894. The Mason County Courthouse is a square, Richardsonian Romanesque building constructed of dark red brick and reddish brown sandstone. The raised basement story is finished with rock-faced sandstone, and two upper floors are finished with brick, with a beltcourse, window sills, lintels, and other trim of the same sandstone. The building is topped with a combination hip and gable roof. In the center is a pyramid-roof clock tower.

Location

300 E. Ludington Ave.
Ludington, Mason County, Michigan
43.95484, -86.44448

Categories

ARCHITECTURE
National Register nomination ›
Sources

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.

Unlimited access

Everything a full report reveals about Mason County Courthouse

This page lists Mason County Courthouse. 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:

Overview
An interactive map of the location with historic sites, battles and Native heritage plotted, and its full story era by era.
The Land
The historic sites and place names around the location, and how this land was settled and used.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.
LiDAR Terrain
Laser-scanned terrain that reveals earthworks and old features hidden in the landscape.
Conflict & War
The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.
The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.
Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.
Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
The people born, buried or genuinely tied to this exact place, with their stories.
Historical Maps
Historic maps of the location layered over how it looks today.
Finds & Access
Museum objects tied to the area, and the laws on searching, collecting and access here.
Literature
The old books, county histories and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Spotlight
A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.
Points of Interest
The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.
Timeline
The whole story of the location told era by era, from first peoples to the present day.
First month just $5.99, then $11.99 a month. Unlimited locations, cancel anytime.

Every location is different. Not every section appears for every place, only what the historical record actually holds turns up in a report.

Start your Mason County Courthouse report
Or see a real report first

Nearby Historic Sites

Cartier, William A. and Catherine, House
Industrial
0.1 mi
S.S. BADGER (carferry)
Industrial
0.5 mi
Haskell Manufacturing Company Building
Industrial
0.7 mi
Ludington United States Coast Guard Station
Industrial
1.1 mi
Ludington North Breakwater Light
Industrial
1.2 mi

Questions about this property

When was Mason County Courthouse listed on the National Register?

Mason County Courthouse was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on May 18, 1988.

What type of historic resource is Mason County Courthouse?

Mason County Courthouse is classified as a building in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Mason County Courthouse?

The period of significance for Mason County Courthouse is recorded as the industrial era.

Can I research the history near Mason County 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 Mason County Courthouse will include this listing and all other historical records in the area.

More in Mason County

Historic places, battles, and census history across Mason County.

Explore MasonCounty ›

More historic places in Michigan

Browse all historic places in Michigan.

View Michiganhistoric sites ›

Conflict records

Explore 19,000+ military engagements across American history.

Browse US conflicts ›

Michigan history

Colonial settlement, territorial period, and statehood narrative.

Michiganhistory ›

Research the history near this site

An Aubrey US report for an address near Mason County Courthouse will include this listing alongside battlefield records and other historical sources within your chosen radius.

Research your locationView a free sample report