Champaign County Court House (1861-1900)
"The controversy caused by the order and contract of the County Court for the building of this court house was probably the warmest and most bitterly conducted ever carried on in the county."
- J. O. Cunningham, The History of Champaign County, p. 733
The Court House
101 E. Main St., Urbana
Building is no longer standing
Before the completion of the court house in 1861, the county held court in various buildings. This iteration of the court house was the fourth in the area. Bowman was the architect and supervisor of the project, which cost around $30,000 to complete. At the time, it was big enough to handle county affairs. As more and more settlers came to the area, it became evident that the county needed a new building to serve the people.
Two county newspapers caused an uproar in the community after publishing several articles admonishing the County Board members for seemingly ignoring the court house problem. They favored the Urbana location over a newer one that would reflect the growing Champaign population. Urbana wished to keep the county seat, skirting the efforts of the stronger, more populated Champaign.
“This official development of the truth shows the wicked duplicity of those who have designedly misrepresented facts and must awaken the utmost disgust in the minds of those who have been duped. The corruption, rottenness, and favoritism of the County Court so confidently looked for, all vanished,” (from Urbana Clarion, May 5, 1860, article titled “Board of Supervisors”).
A month after the article above was published, County Board member Fielding L. Scott, whose residence borders the 1863 map, was driving a carriage holding supplies and his family into West Urbana. As he moved into the town, a group of aggravated people egged his carriage, seemingly stirred up by the newspaper sentiments regarding the new court house. Authorities took the group leaders to court and fined them $20. During the proceedings, the leader of the attack, Mr. Samuel Dean, was heard shouting abusive language at Mr. Scott. Scott then took a cow rawhide from his belongings and beat Mr. Dean with it. Scott was fined $25 for this retribution.
The county used Bowman’s court house for 40 years despite the impressive turmoil surrounding it. A new court house finished in 1901 for $150,000, accommodated the growing community's demand for more space to conduct court business.
