McHenry in McHenry County, Illinois — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)
McHenry County’s First Courthouse
1840-1844
McHenry County split from Cook County in 1836, comprising Lake and McHenry counties. The village of McHenry was the centrally-located county seat. Lake and McHenry counties divided in 1839. In 1843, the county seat was relocated to Centerville, now Woodstock.
In 1844, the government auctioned the courthouse to Horace Long, who moved it to this location on Riverside Drive, originally Water Street, for use as a tavern and hotel.
Erected 2006 by City of McHenry Landmark Commission, the McHenry County Historical Society, and The Illinois State Historical Society.
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Settlements & Settlers. In addition, it is included in the Illinois State Historical Society series list. A significant historical year for this entry is 1840.
Location. 42° 20.76′ N, 88° 15.725′ W. Marker is in McHenry, Illinois, in McHenry County. Marker is at the intersection of North Riverside Drive and Pearl Street, on the right when traveling south on North Riverside Drive. The marker is located one block north of IL-120. The marker is on the northwest corner of the intersection. It's one block west of the Fox River. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 1401 North Riverside Drive, McHenry IL 60050, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 10 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies. A Unique Park with a Unique History (approx. 7.2 miles away); A Showcase of Diversity (approx. 7.2 miles away); Downtown Crystal Lake (approx. 7.6 miles away); Veterans Memorial (approx. 7.6 miles away); El Tovar Theatre (approx. 7.8 miles away); Andrew C. Cook House (approx. 8 miles away); Cary Cemetery - 1839 (approx. 9˝ miles away); World War II Memorial (approx. 9˝ miles away).
Credits. This page was last revised on April 20, 2022. It was originally submitted on August 25, 2014, by Paul Fehrenbach of Germantown, Wisconsin. This page has been viewed 497 times since then and 40 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on August 25, 2014, by Paul Fehrenbach of Germantown, Wisconsin. • Al Wolf was the editor who published this page.