The Antrim County Courthouse is a government building located on South Cayuga Street in Bellaire, Michigan, United States. It was named a Michigan State Historic Site in 1974 and added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1980. The building was designed in 1879, but construction began in 1904. As of 2014, the courthouse is home to the Antrim County courts and the prosecuting attorney.

History

Antrim County was established in 1840, but the first person to settle there arrived in 1846. Abram S. Wadsworth lived near what is now the Elk Rapids Township Hall. By 1860, fewer than 150 people lived in the county. Elk Rapids, the oldest settlement, was chosen as the county seat, and a small wooden courthouse was built there in 1866.

As the county grew, people wanted to move the county seat to a more central location. In 1879, voters decided to relocate the county seat. That same year, the village of Bellaire was planned. Land for the courthouse square was bought, and Traverse City architect Jens C. Peterson designed the courthouse. However, the close vote led to legal disputes, and the decision was taken to the Michigan Supreme Court. These legal issues delayed construction for 25 years. Temporary buildings in Bellaire were used during this time.

After another vote, the county seat choice was finalized. The courthouse was built from Peterson’s original plans by the firm of Waterman and Price between 1904 and 1905 at a cost of $30,000. A clock made by the E. Howard Company of Boston was added in 1921. A bell made by the E. VanDuzen Company of Cincinnati was installed in 1922.

In 1977, a new courthouse was built to meet the community’s needs, and county offices moved there the following year. Some people discussed what to do with the 1905 courthouse, and it remained empty for 12 years. In 1990, county voters approved $2.2 million for renovations. The county courts and prosecuting attorney moved into the restored courthouse in 1992.

Description

The Antrim County Courthouse is a rectangular building with 2 and one-half stories. It is built in the Late Victorian-eclectic style and made of red brick with a gray sandstone foundation. The roof is a hip roof, and the edges of the building are decorated with gray sandstone trim. The top part of the building, called the cornice, is made of galvanized steel and has been painted and sanded to look like the stone trim. A clock tower that is more than 100 feet (30 meters) tall rises from the roof. At the top of the tower is a clock dial that is 5 feet (1.5 meters) in diameter.