Indiana County Courthouse Histories
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Hancock County
Named for: John Hancock
Organized: 1828
County Seat: Greenfield
Number of Courthouses: 4
| Number | Years | Type | Detail |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1829-1834 | Log | Builder: Jared Chapman 2-story, not on square $195 |
| 2 | 1834-1850 | Coffee Mill | Builder: John Hays 40x40 Contract let in 1831 $3000. Two - 20x28 Wings added in 1845 by Nathan Crawford. |
| 3 | 1856-1896 | Stylized | Arch: Edwin May - March 1854, $14,400. Builder: Nathan Crawford, Contracted 6/9/1854, Accepted January, 1856 |
| 4 | 1898-Present | Castle | Arch: Wing & Mahurin - fee of 3.5% of construction cost, $242,600. Builder: Geake, Henry, & Greene. Plans accepted 10/5/1895. Cornerstone 9/22/1896 Possession 1/1/1898 |
The circuit court met at the house of Samuel Jackson until they moved to the courthouse in September, 1829. The commissioners met at the house of Samuel Jackson until May 1829 and then at the house of Jeremiah Meeks in Greenfield until November, 1829 when they moved to the courthouse.
In March 1854 Edwin May was paid $100 for drafts and specifications for the 1856 Courthouse. Nathan Crawford's construction bid of $14,400 was accepted in June 1854. In December 1854 May was hired as construction superintendent at a rate of $25 per visit to the job site.
The 1898 Courthouse was designed by Wing & Mahurin of Fort Wayne, who also designed a Courthouse in Starke County, as well as a new tower for the Adams County Courthouse. Bidding architects were: A.N. Rush - Grand Rapids, McPherson & Brown - Indianapolis; Wing & Mahurin - Fort Wayne; Louis H. Gilson - Indianapolis; Labelle & Lormer - Anderson; G.W Bunting - Indianapolis; Krutch & Laycock - Indianapolis; Bell & Kent - Council Bluffs, Iowa.
A Fire in 1940 destroyed some records of the License Bureau and County Welfare Board but did little damage to the structure.