National Register of Historic Places

Old Berrien County Courthoue Complex

Berrien Springs, Berrien County, Michigan
Listed
April 28, 1982
Type
Building
Period
Industrial
Ref No.
82004941

About this property

The Berrien County Historic Courthouse Square, also known as the History Center at Courthouse Square, is the oldest town square in the Midwest and is a historic district located in Berrien Springs, Michigan. The complex is 1.6 acres and is home to five structures, two of which are the oldest of their kind in the state of Michigan, and include the 1839 Courthouse, Michigan's oldest Courthouse, and the 1829 Murdoch Cabin, Michigan's oldest two-story cabin. The property and its buildings are owned by Berrien County and stewarded by the Berrien County Historical Association. While the historic 1839 Courthouse was added to the United States' Department of the Interior National Register of Historic Places in 1970, the BCHA resubmitted the application to include the entire courthouse square during the 1970s. The application was approved and the entire complex was added to the national register in 1982.

Location

Berrien Springs, Berrien County, Michigan
41.94823, -86.34105

Categories

POLITICS/GOVERNMENTARCHITECTURE
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.

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Overview
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The Land
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Geology
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LiDAR Terrain
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Conflict & War
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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
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Historical Maps
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Finds & Access
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Literature
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Spotlight
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Points of Interest
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Nearby Historic Sites

Berrien Springs Courthouse
Industrial
0.6 mi
South Berrien Center Union Church and Cemetery
Civil War
3.8 mi
Edwards, Rock S., Farmstead
Listed
7.5 mi
Ninth District Lighthouse Depot
Listed
7.5 mi
Buchanan Downtown Historic District
Modern
8.3 mi

Questions about this property

When was Old Berrien County Courthoue Complex listed on the National Register?

Old Berrien County Courthoue Complex was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on April 28, 1982.

What type of historic resource is Old Berrien County Courthoue Complex?

Old Berrien County Courthoue Complex is classified as a building in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Old Berrien County Courthoue Complex?

The period of significance for Old Berrien County Courthoue Complex is recorded as the industrial era.

Can I research the history near Old Berrien County Courthoue Complex?

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