Huntington County Courthouse

The site of the current courthouse is the only place ever used for a courthouse structure in Huntington County. Erected in 1904, the Courthouse is Neo-Classical Revival in architecture style and was designed By J.W. Gaddis, an architect from Vincennes, Indiana. Mr. Gaddis designed other courthouse buildings and libraries many of which are currently on the National Register. 

The first courthouse was constructed about 1840 of wood. It sat at the northwest corner of the block.

The second courthouse was constructed in 1858 of brick. It was situated in the middle of the block.

Both the first and second courthouses included the county jail until a separate facility was constructed in 1882.

The current courthouse is the third to occupy the land donated by General John Tipton. The first was a frame building in 1840. The cornerstone for the second building was laid in 1858. J.W. Gaddis designed the current courthouse in 1903 and the cost including furniture was $346,773. The courthouse is constructed of Bedford, Indiana limestone. The building is four stories tall and the roof contains a stained glass dome topped with a cupola. The cornerstone was laid in 1904 and the building was completed in 1908, but a formal dedication was scheduled but never actually held. So, as part of the centennial celebration in 2008, that omission was corrected.

Assessor’s office – On the first floor. Inside the office there are twelve murals depicting each of Huntington County’s twelve townships from the early 1800s to the turn of the century. They are attributed to Will Peaco. There are also mosaic tile floors throughout. 

Court Room – On the third floor. Much of this room is unchanged from when it was built.

Eternal Flame – Outside the courthouse on the northwest corner is the veteran’s memorial. This replaced an earlier memorial specific to World War II veterans, and the cannon which was removed during WWII and melted for scrap. The flame was constructed in 1971 and is actually special light bulbs.

G.A.R. Room – This room is located on the 2d floor. The Grand Army of the Republic (G.A.R.) was organized in 1866 as a veteran’s fellowship and remembrance organization. It was succeeded by the Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War (S.U.V.C.W.), a memorial, education, and lineage society. The courthouse is thought to have one of the last remaining functioning G.A.R. rooms in the country. It was painstakingly restored from 1998 – 2001 by the art class of Manchester College (now University) under the direction of Professor James Adams.

Master Clock – In a display case on the northwest wall of the first floor is a pneumatic clock. It was originally the master clock for all of the interior rooms. The pendulum clock has a large weight which used to drive an air pump. The pump produced a puff of air that was directed through a system of ducts to each of the individual office clocks. Each puff would advance the office clocks one minute. The clock required winding once per week.

Rotunda Bronze Bust of Samuel Huntington – This bust was commissioned by the Huntington Bar Association as part of the centennial celebration in 2008. It was actually installed in 2009.

Rotunda Dome- The dome is made of 116 panels of Tiffany-style art glass. It was taken apart, cleaned, and reinstalled in 1986. The exterior was restored again in 2005.

Rotunda Mosaic – The center mosaic of an Eagle on the main floor is comprised of over 100,000 tiles. The eagle is 15 feet from wing tip to wing tip. It is said to have been designed by a local lady, Mrs. Delvin.

Treasurer’s Office – On the first floor. This office still has its original bank vault-with brass grill, a banker’s guard, and a high table around a column to be used by customers.

Walls and Columns – while the outer hall walls have a wainscot of marble, the columns are plastered and painted in a way to resemble marble in a process called scagliola.

The Huntington County Interim Report, 2^nd Edition, labels the architecture style as Neo-classical. Neo-Classical was popular from 1895 to 1940 in Indiana, especially in government buildings to show authority and culture. According to Gaddis, “the design is Grecian architecture, using the Ionic and Corinthian styles, which are noted for their beauty of detail and elegance of proportion.” Beaux Arts influence is found in the incorporation of roofline sculptures and the grand interior dome. The Huntington Court House is location number 38 on the National Register of Historic Places registration form for the Huntington Courthouse Square Historic District which was approved in 1992.

1. Huntington County Interim Report 2^nd Edition, Indiana 1982. This book can be located at the Huntington City-Township Public Library. hctpl.info.
2. Huntington Indiana National Register Brochure, City of Huntington Historic Review Board.
3. “National Register of Historical Places Registration Form: Huntington Courthouse Square Historic District,” National Parks, accessed July 9, 2021. https://npgallery.nps.gov/NRHP/GetAsset/85461645-f775-4cf8-a822-d8525b7cf0ba
4. “This wasn’t a restoration … there was nothing to restore.” Herald-Press. 2 May 2001. Clipping in the G. A. R. Room – Courthouse history file of the Huntington City-Township Public Library.
5. “Huntington County, Indiana Courthouse, 1906 – 2006, 100 Years Celebration and Dedication.” Binder in the Courthouse drawer history file of the Huntington City-Township Public Library.
6. Courthouse, binder 44. Lahr collection in the Keefer Center at the Huntington City-Township Public Library.
7. "Bippus Collection." A series of interpretive sketches by James F. Bippus illustrating various scenes of Huntington's history. In the possession of the Huntington City-Township Public Library.