Allen County Courthouse (Indiana)

Infobox_nrhp | name = Allen County Courthouse
nrhp_type =nhl

---

caption = Allen County Courthouse.
nearest_city= Fort Wayne
locmapin = Indiana
area = Urban
built = 1897-1902
architect= Brentwood S. Tolan
architecture= Beaux-Arts
designated= July 31, 2003cite web|url=http://tps.cr.nps.gov/nhl/detail.cfm?ResourceId=-479586368&ResourceType=Building
title=Allen County Courthouse|accessdate=2008-07-23|work=National Historic Landmark summary listing|publisher=National Park Service]
added = 2003
governing_body = Allen County Comissioners
refnum=76000031 cite web|url=http://www.nr.nps.gov/|title=National Register Information System|date=2008-02-20|work=National Register of Historic Places|publisher=National Park Service]

The Allen County Courthouse in Fort Wayne, Indiana is one of 37 United States National Historic Landmarks in the state of Indiana.

History

Designed by Brentwood S. Tolan, construction began in 1897, the cornerstone was laid November 17, 1897. The building was dedicated September 23, 1902 with a final cost of $817,553.59. On September 23, 2002, the building was re-dedicated on its centennial after a seven-year restoration effort, which cost $8.6 million.

Architectural details

The Beaux-Arts architecture-style includes such features as four 25 by convert|45|ft|m|sing=on murals by Charles Holloway, twenty-eight different kinds of scagiola covering convert|15000|sqft|m2, bas-reliefs and art glass. Each of the five court rooms has its own color scheme.

Atop the building is a convert|255|ft|m|sing=on-high copper-clad domed rotunda, itself topped by a convert|14|ft|m|sing=on statue wind vane of Lady Liberty. The larger than life statue has feet that would wear a woman's shoe size of 28.

The building materials include Bedford blue stone and Vermont granite with Italian marble details. A tunnel was constructed to connect the Courthouse with the City-County Building located across the street. The Courthouse also houses a fallout shelter underground. The skylights originally built into the building were covered during World War II and replaced with artificial light.

Gallery

References

ources/External Links

* [http://www.historiclandmarks.org/noted/restored/restored1003.html Historic Landmarks Foundation of Indiana]
* [http://www.glasssteelandstone.com/US/IN/FtWayneAllenCoCourthouse.html GlassSteelandStone.com]