Grand Judicial Building Constructed ... Citizens Celebrate

Grand Judicial Building Constructed ... Citizens Celebrate. The present day Courthouse, the county's fourth, was designed by G. W. Bunting of Indianapolis; however, C. G. Rosenplanter was appointed supervising architect soon after the plan was adopted. It was he who supervised the work to completion by the contractors, McCormack and Sweeney of Columbus, Indiana. The skill of Rosenplanter can be seen in the 1880 Immaculate Conception Catholic Church and the 1882 Madison Street United Methodist Church., This imposing building of the Second Empire style cost approximately $100,000, including land, building, and furnishings. The building was constructed of pressed brick with stone trimmings with the foundation and basement constructed entirely of stone. The first floor was divided into nine large rooms opening upon cross corridors. These nine rooms housed the County Clerk, Trustee, Circuit and Criminal Clerk, County Judge, Library, Chancery Court room and other rooms for the Chancery Clerk., The second floor's eight rooms, reached by elegant twin stairways, consisted of the County Court room for the 43 magistrates of the county, two committee rooms, Circuit and Criminal Court room, jury room, large grand jury room and two rooms for attorneys and witnesses. A monumental framed clock tower with a revolving eagle weathervane surmounted the top of the structure and added height to the building., The laying of the cornerstone on May 10, 1879 was witnessed by an immense crowd and celebrated with a two mile long parade, speeches, and decorations throughout the town with a display of Clarksville's industrial enterprises. A grand dinner was held later at the Gracey Warehouse., The ceremonial laying of the cornerstone, a Masonic tradition, was conducted by Rev. Dr. A. D. Sears and General W. A. Quarles, aided by Parade Marshal Crusman and the contractors. It was said to be a repetition of the ceremony with which King Solomon and Zadoc the priest initiated the building of the first temple in Jerusalem. Some items deposited in the cornerstone included a history of the county, newspapers, lists of magistrates and county officials, census records, contract information, and coins., Captions: , Left: The clock tower of Montgomery County's fourth Courthouse rises 150 ft. above ground. It included Italianate and Victorian elements in a classical style. , Center: Twin statues of "Justice" were placed above the East and West entrances. , Right: The weathervane atop the clock tower portrayed a soaring bronze eagle.