Cookeville in Putnam County, Tennessee — The American South (East South Central)

Putnam County's Third and Fourth Courthouses

Photographed by Duane and Tracy Marsteller, September 25, 2021

1. Putnam County's Third and Fourth Courthouses Marker

Inscription. Putnam County's third courthouse (above) was built in 1866 and burned in 1899. The present building (below) was completed in 1900 and remodeled in 1962, when the clock tower was removed.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Architecture • Law Enforcement. A significant historical year for this entry is 1866.

Location. 36° 9.735′ N, 85° 29.988′ W. Marker is in Cookeville, Tennessee, in Putnam County. It is on East Spring Street (U.S. 70N), on the right when traveling west. Marker is by the south (main) entrance to the historic courthouse. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 300 E Spring St, Cookeville TN 38501, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in the American South,

specifically in the Upper South,

in Appalachia,

and specifically in Southern Appalachia. Globally, it is in North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture,

one of the Confederate States of America,

and the Antebellum South.

Other nearby markers. At

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least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Putnam County Courthouse (here, next to this marker); Putnam County POW * MIA Memorial (a few steps from this marker); Putnam County Revolutionary Memorial (within shouting distance of this marker); Veterans Statue (within shouting distance of this marker); Dedicated to the Memory of Jere Whitson (within shouting distance of this marker); Putnam County Veterans Memorial (within shouting distance of this marker); Putnam County Courthouses (within shouting distance of this marker); Site of WHUB Radio's First Studios (within shouting distance of this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Cookeville.

Photographed by Duane and Tracy Marsteller, September 25, 2021

2. Putnam County's Third and Fourth Courthouses Marker

Putnam County Courthouse image. Click for full size.

via City of Cookeville

3. Putnam County Courthouse

via Tennessee State Library & Archives, circa 1911

4. Putnam County Courthouse

The courthouse was built for $30,000 in 1900. The clock tower was removed as part of a 1962 renovation project after repeated efforts to repair the clock had failed, according to Cookeville Herald Citizen archives. Damage from lightning strikes and pigeon droppings had left the clock's four faces often displaying different times, much to local officials' chagrin.

Credits. This page was last revised on September 27, 2021. It was originally submitted on September 27, 2021, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee. This page has been viewed 633 times since then and 41 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on September 27, 2021, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee.