Jury Duty, District and County Clerk of Court, Phone Number, and other Menard County info. *Not location specific. The somewhat unassuming location of the main entrance, centered in the protruding one-story section, is highlighted by its cast stone surround, with fluted pilasters on each side and the words “Menard County Courthouse” carved across the top. The Spaniards in the presidio endured constant hostility and poor conditions until it was completely abandoned in 1770. Construction soon began on a single, gravity-flow canal fed by the San Saba River, which eventually extended from five miles above Menardville to five miles below, passing through the center of town. From 1880 to 1884, the limestone structure’s first floor housed a general store while the second functioned as the county’s courtroom. Although the square and canal predate the 1931 courthouse and lend historical continuity to the site, the non-contributing jail, swimming pool and support building have altered the building’s historic setting and feeling. Only minimal changes have been made to the exterior of the courthouse, and it also retains a high degree of integrity. How was I chosen? The report found that the vault space was inadequate to hold all the county records, bats and mites were prevalent, wind penetrated the courthouse through the windows and cupola, and holes pierced the floor of the District Courtroom. Menard County is a county in the U.S. state of Illinois.According to the 2010 United States Census, it had a population of 12,705. COUNTY OF MENARD ) ) S.S. STATE OF ILLINOIS ) The Menard County Board of Commissioners met on Tuesday, January 28, 2020 at 6:00 p.m. at the Menard County Courthouse, 102 S. Seventh Street, Petersburg, Illinois. Commissioners Bob Lott, Jeff The building’s very traditional H-shaped courthouse plan, with the central courtroom flanked by supporting offices, is obscured by the modern look of its rigidly geometric, stepped masses and its limited, stylized ornamentation. This bid was for the building and all built-in fixtures, not including plumbing, heating or moveable furniture. The first floor was occupied by a store, with the courthouse and jail on the second floor, accessed from an exterior stair. The east and west elevations of the courthouse are identical, although the view of the east elevation is obscured by the 1980 jail building. The original bid was for $6,713.51, but it had been revised down to $3,908.51 in February. A gas station now occupies the site. The canal separates the southern block, which includes the courthouse and 1980 jail building (non-contributing), from the northern block, a mostly open space known as American Legion Park. The 1931 Mendard County Courthouse sits at the south end of a long, narrow square in Menard, a town along the San Saba River in Central Texas. Each of the section’s two end bays is also topped with a large cast stone ornament that features a heraldic shield bordered by garland. The local newspaper, The Menard Messenger, and Commissioners Court minutes reveal the story of the 1931 Menard County Courthouse. It is difficult to determine a total cost for the 1931 Menard County Courthouse. Although the new courthouse and jail were originally scheduled to be completed on October 25, 1931, the paper reported in October that the buildings would not be ready for move-in until November 15. Substantial repairs and changes, totalling $12,170, were made to the basement and first floor by contractor R. S. Ligon, Jr. in 1973. The rear (south) elevation of the Menard County Courthouse, which faces the courthouse parking lot, is a simpler version of the front façade. Although it illustrates a common approach to courthouse design in the period, the building’s stepped massing and strong formal statement are atypical, revealing the architect’s exposure to and sophisticated understanding of the style. The historical celebration, “Jim Bowie Days,” has also been held on the courthouse square for the past 10 years. It was designed by P.H. The form is nearly symmetrical, with the front distinguished by its protruding one-story entrance section and slightly more shallow three-story mass. Development of Menard County[1]. The clay tile walls are sheathed in multiple shades of brick, arranged randomly, and decorated with cast stone detailing. The newspaper estimated that 12 or 15 businessmen attended the meeting and suggested that the total cost should be limited to $100,000. For its longstanding service as the center of Menard County government, the courthouse is nominated under Criterion A in the area of Government at the local level of significance. The vast majority of original materials and finishes remain, including a large number of historic light fixtures. In addition to a good deal of interior painting, a suspended ceiling was added to the county judge’s office and the county courtroom, and floor tile was laid in many rooms. All of the windows across the two-story wing include the horizontal section below the casements, and several window air-conditioning units have been added in the horizontal openings. The building’s design exemplifies the widespread influence of Art Deco architecture on Texas county courthouses, but also the tendency to retain some entrenched traditional features. Taking advantage of the lower construction costs and plentiful labor supply generated by the Great Depression, the county constructed the building to replace their 1885 courthouse and jail. As shown on the 1921 Sanborn map, the 1885 courthouse and jail both occupied the south block, with the north block reserved as open public space. (Plan-22) The integrity of the interior is perhaps the most remarkable feature of the building. Present Status: Gone. On Thursday, October 16, 1930, the paper reported reasons why the citizens of Menard should vote for a new courthouse. Withers clearly understood the significance of form and massing to Art Deco architecture, which was then proliferating in Dallas and Fort Worth. Menard County Senior Transportation operates its programs and services without regard to race, color, or national origin in accordance with Title VI of the 1964 Civil Rights Act. As work began, W.E. Although the building’s plan and organization are relatively traditional, its stepped massing and simple, stylized detailing identify it with the “modernistic” mode of design commonly referred to as Art Deco. In addition to those costs, a vault and partition wall in the County Clerk’s office were not added until 1937. The 1932 Menard County courthouse received an interior and exterior restoration and was rededicated on November 11, 2006. In addition to its function as the center of county government, the Menard County Courthouse has also housed several other community uses. As early as August 1937, the east roof needed repair. The building’s temple-like form and incorporation of Mayan motifs suggests that Withers was also familiar with pre-Colombian architecture. One final attempt was made by the citizens of Menard to save the 1885 jail. Fax: 217-632-4124 Commissioners Bob Lott, Jeff Extensive research did not reveal any further information on Porter. Throughout World War II, the Library Club sent books to Menard men in military training camps. Bays are divided by simple brick pilasters that stop below the cornice. The roof was still covered under a 10-year warranty, so the county only paid for two yards of gravel. The county was created in 1858 and later organized in 1871. On November 19, The Menard Messenger published a photo of the new courthouse with a caption stating that the interior painting was nearly complete and preparations were being made to move in. Please be advised that a meeting of the Menard County Board of Review has been scheduled for Monday, February 8, 2021. Kasch of Big Springs, Texas, was offered the plumbing and heating contract for their bid of $8,844.02. It was not until two months later, however, on March 14, 1932, that the Commissioners Court accepted a furniture contract with the Dorsey Company of Dallas. The library used the courthouse space, free of charge, until March 1963, when it was moved to a house at the corner of Bevans and Mission Streets. Minor. The courthouse and jail were designed by architect T.P. A request had already been made, in July 1931, to donate the stone from the 1885 courthouse and jail to the Pioneer Rest Cemetery, which was the course of action chosen by the Commissioners. The Menard County Jail occupied the top floor of the courthouse from 1932 until 1980, when the new jail was built. Several changes had been made to the original plans to keep the total cost below $100,000. The Parents and Teachers Association (PTA) has their annual auction at the American Legion Park. COUNTY OF MENARD ) ) SS. A long sidewalk leads from the north entrance of the park, marked by a sign that straddles the sidewalk, to the front entrance of the courthouse. A letter regarding the matter was published on April 9, 1931, from Harry Crozier, who wrote, “The point to me is that it is a sin to destroy beauty when there is so little left to us…but please see if you can’t save the old building and if you do my son and a multitude of men’s sons will look upon it one day and thank their God for a fellow whose eyes knew beauty enough to protect it for them.”. Present Status: Gone The 1931 Menard County Courthouse has served as the center of county government for over seventy years. Probst Roofing Co. was awarded a $4,850 contract in March 1949 to re-roof the courthouse, except the jail and south wing, as well as waterproof and caulk the masonry and paint metal frames and woodwork. One hundred fourteen property tax payers had signed a petition supporting the bond election, whose property, the paper reported, “represented fifty percent of the assessed valuation of the County.” The Messenger went on to quote a 1928 Grand Jury report on the condition of the 1885 courthouse. Marker Text: Menard County organized in 1871 and officials built the first courthouse in 1880 and a second in 1886. Box 466 Designed by successful Fort Worth architect E.G. The fort attracted settlement and Menard County was officially established in 1858, with the town of Menardville (now Menard) named the county seat. The 1980 jail building, remodeled and expanded in 1993, sits just east of the courthouse building. The building would have a residence on the first floor, with the jail upstairs, and would be designed to disguise its function. The width of the bays varies across the elevation, in an A-B-A-B-A pattern. The construction firm Vickery and Haynes of Kimble County submitted the lowest bid, $12,500, and was awarded the courthouse contract on May 12, 1885. 817-404-4638 Instead, the Commissioners assigned a room in the new courthouse for use as a library, a meeting room for ladies’ clubs and a waiting room for witnesses during sessions of the court. Along with doing all the electrical work, they were to provide three electric clocks for the courthouse: one for the Commissioners Courtroom, one for the District Courtroom, and one for the jail dormitory. Rumors soon circulated that the Commissioners Court was planning to spend between $125,000 and $140,000, based on the request for bids. A couple is currently converting the building into their personal home and art studio. (Plan-20) The third floor is confined to the central section and includes the open space of the 2-story district courtroom, as well as its balcony, with a jury room and a storage space occupying the remainder of the floor. Without proper heating, lighting, or ventilation, conditions in the “dungeon” were often criticized. Building Materials/Description: Stone, 2-story, Building Completion Date: 1932 http://www.state.il.us/court/CircuitCourt/CircuitMap/8th.asp#Menard, The Public Access to Court Records (PACER). *county-courthouse.com is not affiliated with the Official US Government, or any state, local, or federal office. *Please call to verify. The second building used as a courthouse was a limestone commercial building in downtown Menard. Mr. Architectural Style: Art Deco The 1931 Menard County Courthouse has served the local community for over seven decades. Mailing Address: P.O. This photo is in 7 groups Illinois Flickrjournal 115,732 items Architecture of Illinois 3,503 items Architecture of Days Gone By 235,176 items Building with Stone 19,848 items buildings are beautiful 124,358 items Sky & Cloud Junkies (Please follow the rules :) 217,079 items Visit our Links Page for websites providing Employment Listings, as well as US Government holiday closings. To pay for the furniture, Menard County Courthouse Equipment Warrants in the amount of $4,000 were issued at 6 % interest to mature over 4 years. In 1966, a community swimming pool (non-contributing) and a concrete block support building (non-contributing) were built on the eastern half of the park. Demolished 1932 County Seat: Menardville (“The Ditch,” Texas Historical Marker File) (Menard County Historical Society, 1982). The Menard Messenger reported on November 19, 1931 that the new Boy Scout Troop was to have a room in the courthouse. The mission was burned to the ground by a group of Comanches in 1758. Keen, a Methodist minister, was allowed use of one of the vacant rooms on the second floor on June 4, 1932, provided that he not cause any trouble when asked to leave the building. Twenty-two bids came in on March 9, 1931, ranging from $135,000 to $176,000. The San Saba River and its valley, which bisect Menard County from west to east, have supported human habitation for thousands of years. A total of 512 votes were received with 270 votes FOR and 242 votes AGAINST the bond. The Menard County Courthouse in Menard County, Illinois. Let us know here, Montgomery County Courthouse120 N. Main Street, Room 1250.0 mile away, McDonough County Courthouse#1 Courthouse Square0.0 mile away, Bond County Courthouse200 West College11.3 miles away, © 2020 Everything-Bytes | Terms of Use & Privacy Policy. It is also nominated under Criterion C in the area of Architecture at the local level of significance, as a well-executed example of Texas’s early modern courthouses. No official acceptance of the building was listed in the Commissioners Court minutes and no ribbon cutting ceremony was found in the newspaper, but one would assume that the building was occupied by the end of 1931. While building’s designed in this style achieved a novel and modern “look,” what was inside the “envelope” remained relatively unchanged. Commissioners Bob Lott, Jeff Several repairs and changes have been made to the 1931 Menard County Courthouse since construction. An American Legion marker commemorating Menard County men killed in combat was erected in 1967, and a Texas Civil War Defense Monument is also on the square. As Willard B. Robinson discusses in The People’s Architecture: Texas Courthouses, Jails, and Municipal Buildings, these attributes made the Modern Classic (or what Robinson refers to as “Stripped Classic”) style an especially popular choice for public architecture in the 1930s. Additional bookcases were constructed in the County Courtroom in June 1937 for the storage of free textbooks for Menard County schools. Despite the introduction of limited oil and gas production in the 1940s, ranching has consistently dominated the Menard County economy. (Robinson 1983: 262-269) The Menard County Courthouse is an excellent example of the style’s swift and widespread adoption, even in more isolated rural counties. The form of the Menard County Courthouse is composed from several distinct masses of differing heights. Their plans and specifications were approved by the Commissioners Court on February 5, 1931. The section of the canal that passes through the square is lined on both sides with concrete and crossed by several small concrete pedestrian bridges. The canal was intended less for food production than for ranching, which has always been the mainstay of Menard County’s economy. Elmer George Withers (1881-1938), listed as E. G. Withers in the Commissioners Court minutes, was born in 1881 in Caddo Peak, Texas. Five bids were returned, and E.D. Menard’s courthouse square consists of two full blocks of land, bisected from west to east by a c.1875 irrigation canal (contributing), commonly known as “the ditch” or “the big ditch,” which extends from five miles above Menard to five miles below and irrigates 2,000 acres of land. The first floor includes most public offices and the small county court room. Building Completion Date: 1871 All the bids were rejected for being too high, and new bids were requested immediately for review the following day. The square is home to approximately 75 pecan trees, planted formally around the perimeter of the southern half but more randomly on the north side. That decision was reversed in August 1938, however, when a petition was made to the court for an urgent need to use the “dungeon,” and it continued to be used thereafter. (Figure-25), Both the 1885 courthouse and jail were razed when the new courthouse was built in 1931. The three central bays of the two-story wing are taller than the outer two, stepping up toward the central four-story mass. The interior of the Menard County Courthouse reveals a fairly traditional, H-shaped courthouse plan. Santa Claus comes to visit the children of Menard County by meeting them at the courthouse and courthouse square. COUNTY OF MENARD ) ) SS. As the county seat, Menard continues to serve primarily as a supporting center of commerce for the area’s agricultural economy, but tourism is an increasingly important industry for the town and county. Jury Duty, District and County Clerk of Court, Phone Number, and other Menard County info. On September 17, 1931, The Messenger reported that the Commissioners had decided against saving the jail. The simple, rectangular building, designed by McDermott and Associates, was sheathed in multiple shades of brick in an attempt to match the courthouse. The search for a contractor began immediately, with a call for bids published on February 5. Ground would be broken the following day, with October 25, 1931 set as the completion date. The Commissioners Court seems to have been continually issuing extra warrants to pay for items that were not included in the construction bid, such as furniture and plumbing. The original bond of $80,000 was clearly inadequate for the substantial building that was designed, and even the revised one that was built. The request stated that, “the cost of construction and equipment of the proposed new Court House and Jail will be paid for as follows, to wit: Seventy Thousand Dollars ($70,000.00) in cash, and the balance necessary to be added to this sum to equal the contract price to be paid by the issuance and delivery to the contractor by the Commissioner’s Court legally issued interest-bearing warrants, etc.” As concern for the cost grew, a petition was presented to the Court, signed by 290 citizens, requesting that the Court not issue deficiency warrants without prior approval from the voters. Menard County is a county located on the Edwards Plateau in the U.S. state of Texas.As of the 2010 census, its population was 2,242. The building’s gabled roof, including the gable ends and small knee walls, is sheathed in corrugated metal. Locate Menard real estate and other county court records held by the County Clerk including birth certificates, death certificates, marriage licenses, and divorce records. Menard County Courthouse in Petersburg, Illinois. Even in the 1980s, approximately 94 percent of the county’s land was in farms and ranches, and roughly 96 percent of agricultural receipts came from livestock and livestock products. Four months later, on September 14, 1931, the West Texas Utilities Company of Menard was awarded a $750 contract for electrical lights and fixtures. According to the newspaper, the Commissioners signed a statement that they would not enter into a contract exceeding $100,000, but this was not confirmed by the Commissioners Court minutes. He received no formal architectural training and is believed to have gained his architectural knowledge through apprenticeships and correspondence courses. The county has thus retained much of its rural character. Additional: Circuit Court Clerk: Penny Hoke. The Menard County Courthouse’s dramatic stepped massing is a particularly striking feature of its design. A petition was circulated in 1930 calling for a bond election to build a new courthouse and jail. STATE OF ILLINOIS ) The Menard County Board of Commissioners met on Tuesday, July 31, 2018 at 6:00 p.m. at the Menard County Courthouse, 102 S. Seventh Street, Petersburg, Illinois. Even today, the courthouse and square continue to serve as a social center for the community. (The Menard Messenger October 30, 1930) On December 15, 1930, the county selected the Fort Worth firm of Withers & Thompson to serve as the project’s architect. 817-404-4638 E. D. Porter was listed in the 1931 San Angelo City Directory as a building contractor at 1005 W. Avenue D. He was the general contractor on the 1930 Kimble County Courthouse, where he was also contracted to do the plumbing, wiring, and heating. Although the original transom is in place, the rear entry door has been replaced with a non-historic aluminum door and sidelights. Commonly referred to as “Art Deco,” a term derived from Paris’s 1925 Exposition Internationale des Arts Decoratifs et Industriels Modernes, the building’s style is more accurately understood as a combination of fairly traditional design concepts with elements of the new “modernistic” formal vocabulary associated with Art Deco architecture. Taking advantage of the lower construction costs and plentiful labor supply generated by the Great Depression, the county constructed the building to replace their 1885 courthouse and jail. An additional jail cell, known as the “dungeon,” was originally placed in the unfinished basement and used for prisoners too drunk or difficult to get up four flights of stairs. (Commissioners Court Minutes, Oct. 30, 1930). The presence of Apaches and Comanches continued to discourage settlement of the area into the mid 19th century, even after it was included in the 1842 Fisher-Miller Land Grant, in which the Republic of Texas gave more than three million acres to the San Saba Colonization Company to entice European immigrants to the valley. Costs had already exceeded $100,000, and the Commissioners Court could not solicit furniture bids until after January 1, 1932. Additional cast stone details decorate the front (north) façade of the Menard County Courthouse. Instead of capitals, the pilasters feature an inset panel of cast stone with a stylized floral design resembling a Mayan hieroglyph. Mires and built by B. Strom in 1880. The style is representative of the progressivism that defined the era, in which erecting a courthouse with a novel, “modernistic” design became a public assertion of the county’s commitment to growth and improvement. William J. Vaughn, with partners William Tipton and James Comstock, established the Vaughn Agricultural and Mechanical Canal Company, in 1874. The side elevations offer the clearest view of the building’s stepped massing. The design of the 1931 Menard County Courthouse reflects a number of the era’s trends in the architecture of public buildings. A bid of $1,333.50 was accepted from Bunyard Electric Company on May 15, 1931. Menard County, All civil cases at law over $300., Civil cases in equity., Proceedings in habeas corpus., Felonies and misdemeanors, Proceedings in quo warranto., Prohibition and certiorari cases., Appeals from magistrate court, municipal court, and administrative agenc, Phone Number: 217-632-2615 This building housed the Menard County courthouse and jail from 1880-84. The Commissioners Court accepted the construction contract on March 23, 1931. On the same day, A.P. Veterans Day Celebrations are held every November 11th on the courthouse square. Two commissioners voted to put the footings at 22 feet, but the judge and other two commissioners went the other direction and agreed on a depth of 9 feet, which was where the foundation was set. The only cast stone used on the rear elevation is in the cornice and pilaster “capitals” of the four-story mass. A separate builder, Walker Mowath & Co., was used for the jail. (Plan-21) The fourth floor of the courthouse housed the original jail, which includes the jail cells themselves and the jailer’s living quarters. Website: http://www.state.il.us/court/CircuitCourt/CircuitMap/8th.asp#Menard, Staff: Diane M. Lagoski, Chief Judge; Sharon Main - Trial Court Administrator texascouDfji209Dirthouses@yah2sd9Dioo.com, TexasCourthouses.com The concrete walls of the raised, but unfinished, basement are exposed on the side and rear elevations, providing a visual base. Although the 1930 Fort Worth directory listed the firm as Withers & Thompson, Withers was listed individually in both the 1928 and the 1931 directories. A public privy was also erected for $209 by Scruggs & Schuchard. The Menard Messenger reported on October 23, 1930 that the new jail would be separate from the courthouse, on a site east of the 1885 jail. Menard County, organized 1871, conducted its first county business in a house built of pickets before financing the construction of a more permanent, two-story limestone building designed by architect P. H. Mires.