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Chase County Sketches
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Chase County Courthouse
On September 5. 1871, Isaac Alexander donated to Chase County two and one-half acres of land,
at the head of Broadway Street, on condition that
the courthouse and jail be built upon the land, with
a street 80 feet wide located around the area, and
be dedicated to public use.
James Bannon of Leavenworth, Kansas, was
the contractor. John G. Haskell of Lawrence, Kasas, was the architect and superintendent. John
Emslie had the contract for the stone and brick
work; Byers and Russell of Leavenworth did the
tin and sheet iron work; M. Madden, Leavenworth,
did the painting; W.M. Cronan, Cottonwood Falls,
did the plastering and moulding. Stone-cutters and
stone-masons were John F. Cook, W.P. Rettiger, P. J. Norton, Nicholas Rettiger and sons, Peter Shepner, Andrew Wager, Henry and Joseph Plumberg, Jeff Daugherty and S.P. Watson. A.B. Watson and J. Breamer worked as plasterers and carpenters. L.P. Jenson was a master workman who
did the finishing work. G.H. Austin and Charles
T. Clark built the beautiful native walnut winding
stairway.
The Courthouse is built in Renaissance style
of architecture of the period of Louis XIII. It has a
basement, two stories with mansard roof and cupola; it stands 113 feet from ground to top of the flagpole. All the stone came from Chase County. It was
completed October 8, 1873, at a total cost of
$42,599.88 and was opened to the public for a
housewarming. The 500 pound bell was hung in
1886.
The Chase County courthouse was entered on
the National Register of Historic Places, February 24, 1971.
By: Irene Eshbaugh
Ripplings of the transitions of the
100 year old courthouse
Today in 1972 after one hundred years of life
for the Chase County Courthouse, one pauses to
explore the transitions. If only the building could
relate for itself to us! The stories would be far
more interesting than one can relate now about the
ripplings and happenings of its past one hundred
years.
Carrie Breese Chandler wrote for the Chase
County Leader in 1940 and reported in her article,
"Building Chase County's Courthouse -- A Monument to Pioneer Fortitude," the following story:
"A year or two ago, late one summer afternoon, I was standing on the steps of the courthouse
when I noticed two strangers looking up at the
building with usual interest.
''We are admiring this courthouse," said one
of them in explanation. "We are Kansans out looking over our own state. Our county just finished a courthouse that cost $175,000, and it can't hold a
candle to this one. It is a perfect jewel. How long
has it been here? You don't see stone-cutting like
that any more."
They went up to the courtroom, which I was
comfortably mindful, had just been "done over."
As they came down the stairs, I heard one of them
say as he ran his hand along the graceful stair rail,
"This thing is beautiful. It was made by men who
loved their work."
Looking in 1972 at the guest register at the
foot of the beautiful stairway reveals that in the
last six years (the register was placed there in
June, 1966) over 3,000 visitors (registrations
average 500 a year) have been a part of the life of
this unique building. Many people come to the
courthouse for a definite purpose such as family
research, marriage or other business purposes and find themselves involved in visiting, studying, and
enjoying this oldest courthouse in Kansas that is
still in use as a courthouse.
Some of the comments
recorded in the register are: "breathtaking,'' "beautiful part of America." "landmark that has been
here as long as any resident can remember, Don't
tear it down," "Craftsmanship superb," "never
lose this building," "historically fantastic;"
"never destroy it,' "groovy, clever building,"
"interesting part of our country's heritage," "the
clock can be repaired.'' "very impressive building,
like a painting," "wonderful, keep it as it is,"
and manjy many others.
One major disaster almost kept this landmark
from being preserved. On December 3, 1966, about
5:30 p.m. according to the Chase County Leader
News, "Terror struck the very hearts of area residents Saturday night as flames barely glimmered
then belched from the cupola of Chase County's
historic courthouse." The blaze broke out in the
area of the electric clock and the Christmas star
at the very top. A local citizen was heard to remark at the fire, "I would almost rather it was my
home." But the fire contained within a forty-minute
period by the efficient work of the volunteer firemen. The cause was faulty wiring, and the repairs
cost $20,000. The clock was completely destroyed,
and never again has the risk been taken to have the
lovely Christmas star glisten over the area. The
clock was replaced: it is mounted high in tire cupola on the north side overlooking the business
section of the town. It is six feet in diameter; each
hand is three and one-half feet from one end to the
other. Each hand weighs 120 pounds. It in synchronized with a clock inside the building.
Since this "breathtaking" building was almost destroyed by fire, local county officers and
citizens have worked diligently to preserve and
restore it for posterity. The courtroom has been
redecorated with walnut stained venetian blinds
that match the walnut trimming around the spacious
windows and the wainscoting, with carpeting, with
green umbrella-shaped light fixtures, and with
white drapes and special overhead lighting to spotlight the judge's bench with the United States flag
and the Kansas flag. The steps of the winding
stairway to the courtroom have been completely
carpeted. Bathroom facilities are now available
for ladies and gentlemen both in the basement and
on the first floor. The commissioners' room, the
register of deeds' office, and the sheriff's office,
as well as the sheriff's quarters in the south part,
have been paneled and redecorated. The welfare
office in the basement has also been paneled. The
stone on the outside of the building has been
"pointed up," and the red trim has been brightened.
The furnace that was, originally installed in the
courthouse was not satisfactory. In January, 1871,
six stoves were installed. but the old hot air registers are still in some of the walls today. A
successful steam heating system has been operating over 50 years and each of the offices and the
sheriff's living quarters have room air conditioners
in the windows for summer cooling.
The jail consists of one large room with native stone walls. The ceiling and floor are constructed of 2" by 12" on edge, spiked together and covered with sheets of steel. Two separate cells on the inside of the large room and an exercise area are constructed of sheet iron and steel
bars. The inside doors of the inner cells are operated by a lever from outside the cells. The windows
have bars and the main entrance is blocked by one
large solid steel door and a metal bar door. The
interior of the jail is painted solid gray except for
some of the rivets which were painted red by a former prisoner who needed something to do in his
spare time. The furnishings of the jail consist of
a metal constructed picnic style table, six cots, and
a Holy Bible.
During the years the bell has been rung to
signal special events and occasions -- the finding
of a murderer, the opening of district court, the
ending of world wars, etc. Special efforts have
been made to resume the ringing of the bell even
though the louvers have been closed which muffles
the sound. The fifth grade class of Cottonwood
Falls Grade school wrote a letter to the Editor of
the Chase County Leader-News directed to the
county commissioners asking to have the bell rung.
The commissioners have recorded in their minutes
that the bell shall be rung on special occasions,
and it will be "tolled" during the centennial occasions. Because the bell was not loud enough to
be heard over the entire town, a siren has been
installed on the courthouse roof above the jail.
It is used in case of fires, for tornado warning,
and to signal 12:00 noon.
In 1950, new floors in the main hall of the
courthouse were laid, and at that time a copy of a
letter written February 26, 1924, was found by the
workmen who were laying the new floors. A copy
of the letter follows:
TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN:
This beautiful bright February day Mr. Levi
Chandler, the county treasurer, and the janitor,
Harry Hudson, are laying a hardwood floor in the
courthouse hall. Mr. Chandler is doing the work for
nothing if the commissioners will let the county
pay for the material. The floor is needed as the
old one has been down more than fifty years. The
courthouse was finished the 27th of September,
1873, and this is the first whole new floor since
then. The county officers are: Charles Jacobs,
Sheriff; Charles E. Davis, County Attorney; Clint
Baldwin, County School Superintendent; P. J.
Norton, Clerk of District Court; T. G. Allen, Probate Judge; John I. McClellan, County Clerk;
Mildred Speer, Register of Deeds; G.H. Lamb, Jr.,
County Engineer; Judge Harris, District Judge;
Calvin Coolidge, President of the United States,
up for re-election; Jonathan Davis, Democratic
governor of Kansas, also up for re-election.
This town has a population of 865. Strong
City has 905. We have paved streets, water works,
sewer systems, and electric lights.
The railroad is being built through Bazaar and
Matfield to El Dorado. It will probably be finished
by Spring. The main line of the Santa Fe was finished about 1871, 1 mean out to Newton and beyond.
Mrs. Stephen M. Wood was the first woman who
went over the main line from Emporia to Topeka
(to visit her husband in the legislature.)
My father, Sidney A. Breese helped lay out
this town in 1859, and was on the first board of
County Commissioners of Chase County, April,
1859, The county has a population somewhat less
than 7,000. If this floor stays down as long as the
last one did; it will not be taken up till 1972; one
hundred years from the building of` the Courthouse.
There ought to be more improvements by then.
I can remember as a small child, sitting in
the east window on the third floor and seeing antelopes running on the hills east of town. I wonder
if the buffalo-wallows will be gone by 1972. There
are plenty of them in the bottoms yet. I remember
very well when the Kaw Indians had their reservation near Council Grove. The last "Indian Scare"
was in 1868, when the Cheyennes came in to fight
the Kaws at "The Grove" and get back their stolen
ponies. The remnant of the Kaws is in Oklahoma
now, but Senator Charles Curtiss would not find
many of his kinfolks left. He is part Kaw, and not
ashamed of it.
There is a crack left where I can put this
letter under the floor, so here it goes. Good luck
to the finder.
Carrie Breese Chandler, Deputy County Treasurer
County Commissioners: R.Z. Blackburn, Clarence
North, and Fritz Pracht.
A copy of this letter and another one written
in 1950 was placed under the new floor to be open-
ed at some future date.
Very few changes have been made to the general appearance of the landscape of the courthouse.
A blue grass lawn is well kept, and there are many
beautiful flowers during the growing season. Cedar
trees (causes of "hot" disagreements over the
years) grace the front lawn, and many elm trees
stand straight and tall on the east, south, and west
parts of the lawn. On the southwest corner of the
lawn, the Roniger Museum of stone that matches
the courthouse stands -- it was erected in 1959.
In the northeast corner, one sees the Japanese
cannon which replaced the German artillery piece
that was sent for scrap iron during World War II.
Beside the cannon and to the west is the memorial
stone. It was placed there on May 30, 1927, by the
American Legion Auxiliary. This stone honors the
twenty-one Chase County men and one woman who
gave their lives in World War I. Later the names of
twenty-six men giving their lives in World War II
were added.
The stonewall that was laid in 1881 around
the front part of the north lawn remains. The flag
flies frorn the pole at the top of the steps leading
up the wide sidewalk to the entrance of the courthouse. A handrailing up the center of the walk is
helpful to many making the "long walk" up to the
courthouse.
The Kansas Historical Marker, located just
west of the memorial stone, was dedicated September
19, 1969. This marker denotes the courthouse
as a "Landmark of Distinction."
At the 80th anniversary celebration, October
14, 1953, spotlights were turned on for the first
time directing light on the north facade and the
dome of the building. This makes a beautiful
picture at night as one approaches the vicinity.
The idea of erecting spotlights around the courthouse was discussed by the Cottonwood Fails
Chamber of Commerce, and Jim Bell, Jr., served
as chairman. Contributions came from local
citizens as well as former residents who had
lived here when the courthouse was under construction. Mrs. Lee Swope, when sending her contribution, wrote that the builders of the courthouse
lived in tents and her brother worked as a water
boy to supply the workers with drinking water.
One hundred years ago after the courthouse
and the jail had been accepted by the county
commissioners an initial housewarming was held
on Friday. October 17, 1873. It is recorded that.
the new courthouse was thrown open to the publicfrom 9 a.m.
until midnight. The public could go and look it
over all day for nothing; but in the evening the
library association sponsored a ball in the
courtroom Tickets were sold for a $1 a
couple. Tables were spread in the new jail. and
supper was an extra charge. Everyone was happy,
and the !ibrary association made $100.
For the centennial celebration in 1972, there
will be three days of activities with the courthouse
being open to the public. A street dance in front
of the courthouse will be a part of the hustle-
bustle, but each and every visitor and participant
should climb the steps around the gorgeous
stairway, peer into the courtroom and out of the
porthole, peek into the jail, witness one's presence
in the guest register, and reminisce with others
of the many pictures of the, history of Chase County
hanging on the walls in the halls.
The survival of this 100 year-old structure, over the
tendency in the space age to replace itwith something
in style, is surprising. But vigilance must
be exercised to preserve it for posterrity;
therefore, the walls and halls of this landmark
must be treasured and visited from the basement to the attic of the front and of the back.
On the one hlrndred twenty-fifth anniversary,
may local observers continue to witness
"that there isn't a day that passes that travelers
do not pause to view the building and snap pictures
of the picturesque Chase County Courthouse."
May it be preserved forever!
Written By: Ruea (Pendergraft) Thurston
Sponsored By: Chase County Business and Professional Club
Sponsored By: Mr. and Mrs. Darwin K. Reyer
Mr. and Mrs. Craig Reyer - Suzanne and Kim
Chase County Centennial, 1872- 1972
by your Chase County Host, Lorna Marvin.
Please submit your historical sketches.
| Chase County Host Lorna Marvin | 
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Last updated 11/10/2003
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