The Class of 1873

Finished in November of 1872, dedicated on February 22, 1873, Stephenson County's second courthouse was built without issuing bonds for a cost of $130,413.56. An iron fence surrounding it was removed in 1900. It was heated with stoves and lit with gas lights. While the outer portion was Joliet marble, the lower structure of the building was built with arches and metal, and the upper portion was wood.

The clock in the dome was built by Seth Thomas. The 1850-pound bell struck the hours. The clock wore out in 1913, and it was rebuilt. In 1915, one of the 500-pound weights that kept the 8.5-foot pendulum moving came loose and fell through two of floors. By 1923, it no longer could keep the correct time. In 1927 the clock was dismantled and stored, and the dome was removed.

The second court house was torn down in 1974, and replaced with the "modern" courthouse on the same site. Many wish that the magnificent old building had been updated.

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