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Gogebic County Courthouse
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Gogebic County Courthouse, c. 1920
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| Location: | Moore St., Bessemer, Michigan |
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| Area: | less than one acre |
| Built: | 1888 |
| Built by: | Herman Gundlach |
| Architect: | Charlton and Kuenzli |
| Architectural style: | Romanesque |
| Governing body: | Local |
| NRHP Reference#: | 81000306[1] |
| Significant dates | |
| Added to NRHP: | May 8, 1981 |
| Designated MSHS: | December 10, 1971[2] |
The Gogebic County Courthouse is a government building located on North Moore Street in Bessemer, Michigan. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1981[1] and designated a Michigan State Historic Site in 1971.[2]
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Gogebic County was split from Ontonagon County in 1887.[3] The county immediately started work on a courthouse, jail, and sheriff's office.[3] The buildings were designed by the firm of Charlton and Kuenzli, and constructed in 1888 for $50,000 by contractor Herman Gundlach.[3]
The courthouse was enlarged in 1915.[3] In 1974, the original jail and sheriff's office were demolished and replaced,[3] and an elevator tower and annex to the courthouse were constructed.[2]
The Gogebic County Courthouse symbolizes the cooperative effort of individuals, industries, and skilled workers in the Bessemer area in constructing a finely crafted building.[2] It is a regional landmark, built when Gogebic County was a booming mining area, and reflects the economic prosperity of the times and the enthusiasm of county residents at a time when Gogebic County was a newly created political entity.[2]
The Gogebic County Courthouse is a rectangular Romanesque red sandstone building, two stories tall with a full basement.[2] It has a hipped roof and a four-story square tower on the front facade. The entrance is through a carved, round arched entryway in the base of the tower. Farther up the tower are rectangular windows with transons, surrounded by carved stone, and a porthole window. A dentilated cornice runs around the roofline of the building.[2]
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