Travlang Travel Guide

Travlang's Guide to International Travel

The Mclean County Courthouse and Square- Visit This Enchantingly Beautiful Location

There are numerous majestic buildings in this world and one of them is the McLean County Courthouse and Square that is located in downtown Bloomington in the state of Illinois, United States of America. This majestic site comes under the National Register of Historic Places and it has three distant blocks that were in built different years. When you visit be sure to check out a Downtown Chicago hotel.

One historic building that is located on the other side of the block was destroyed by fire in the year 1980. This famous square block is surrounded by four famous streets that are known as Center Street, Washington Street, Main Street and Jefferson Street. Before the present courthouse was constructed this site was the home to three other courthouses. The first courthouse was built in 1832, the second one was built in 1836 and the third one was constructed in 1900.

The present courthouse building was designed by William Reeves and John M. Baillie. It was in the year 1980 when the McLean County Historical Society established its museum in the Old courthouse which was partially destroyed by fire. Today the museum has been shifted outside the courthouse but the general offices are still operating in the same building even after the court house has been shifted some blocks away.

In the year 2002 around $1.2 million were spend on the renovation process of this building. The funding was done by McLean County and the Public Museum Capital Grant. Most of the renovation money was spent on the redesigning and construction of the hundred year old courthouse dome that was destroyed in the fire.

The original copper of the dome was taken and it was reused for designing the dome in a better manner. On December 2004 the tower bell of the courthouse was used nearly after fifty long years. The dome was restored to its original copper color to make it look more attractive and appealing.

The McLean County Courthouse and Square is divided into various buildings that mainly house offices that are connected with the courtroom. Some of the well known buildings are the Benjamin and Shermerhorn Building, the Ensenberger Building, the Dewenters Building, the Phoenix Block and the Livingston Building. The McLean County Courthouse is a major landmark of the city and numerous tourists from all around the world come to visit it.

If you are also interested in visiting a great historical wonder then you must see the McLean County Courthouse and Square to experience its elegant beauty and rare elegance.