Welcome to Brown County and the City of Mount Sterling, the county seat. Brown County is part of the German-settled area of western Central Illinois and the Missouri Rhineland centered on the St. Louis metropolitan area. The population of this rural county was 6,244 at the 2020 census.
The series will focus on the Mount Sterling Commercial Historic District listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The district includes four entire city blocks and parts of four others. In total, there are 38 buildings in the district, of which 35 are contributing buildings. Nearly all of the buildings in the district are Italianate commercial buildings; the only exceptions are a Classical Revival bank building and the courthouse, which incorporates both Italianate and Classical Revival elements. The district was added to the NRHP in 1987.
In keeping with tradition when visiting county seats, I'll begin our tour with the county courthouse. Completed in 1868 and rebuilt around 1940, the Brown County Courthouse shown above is the second courthouse in the county's history.
The 1868 building was a two-story, gable-roofed structure with a pedimented central portico, five openings on each floor of the facade (a door and four large windows on the first floor, and five pairs of narrow arch windows on the second), and a tall cupola at the center of the roof. The courthouse lasted in this form until 1939, when fire largely destroyed the building.
But instead of giving up on the remains and constructing a new courthouse, the county government chose to undertake a three-year rebuilding process. The body of the building is largely largely the same as before, but officials chose not to rebuild the cupola, and the courthouse was given a hip roof.
The rebuilt courthouse has continued in use into the 21st century, and remains a prominent building in the community. It lies at the northern end of the downtown area, separating commercial areas from residential neighborhoods.
The population of Mount Sterling at the 2020 census was 2,006.
Sources:
National Register of Historic Places Nomination Form: Mount Sterling Commercial Historic District; Mount Sterling, Illinois (Wikipedia); Mount Sterling Commercial Historic District (Wikipedia), Brown County, Illinois (Wikipedia)
Tags: Mount Sterling Seat Brown County West Central Illinois IL Rural Small Town Civic Public National Register of Historic Places Mount Sterling Commercial Historic District Reference # 87000724 Historic Courthouse Brown County Courthouse Contributing Architecture Architectural Style Italianate Classical Revival Season Autumn Fall Canon EOS 5D Mark IV 5DM4
A view of N. Capitol Ave. leading to the Brown County Courthouse.
Completed in 1868 and rebuilt around 1940, the Brown County Courthouse is the second courthouse in the county's history. It is an anchor of the Mount Sterling Commercial Historic District that was listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 1987.
The 1868 building was a two-story, gable-roofed structure with a pedimented central portico, five openings on each floor of the facade (a door and four large windows on the first floor, and five pairs of narrow arch windows on the second), and a tall cupola at the center of the roof. The courthouse lasted in this form until 1939, when fire largely destroyed the building.
But instead of giving up on the remains and constructing a new courthouse, the county government chose to undertake a three-year rebuilding process. The body of the building is largely the same as before, but officials chose not to rebuild the cupola, and the courthouse was given a hip roof. The rebuilt courthouse has continued in use into the 21st century.
The population of Mount Sterling at the 2020 census was 2,006.
Sources:
National Register of Historic Places Nomination Form: Mount Sterling Commercial Historic District; Mount Sterling, Illinois (Wikipedia); Mount Sterling Commercial Historic District (Wikipedia), Brown County, Illinois (Wikipedia)
Tags: Mount Sterling Seat Brown County West Central Illinois IL Rural Small Town Civic Public National Register of Historic Places Mount Sterling Commercial Historic District Reference # 87000724 Historic Courthouse Brown County Courthouse Contributing Architecture Architectural Style Italianate Classical Revival Season Autumn Fall Drone DJI Mini 4 Pro
After 18 photos of this small, west central Illinois community, today we say goodbye to Mount Sterling by offering a different view of the Brown County Courthouse, the place where our exploration began 20 days ago.
Completed in 1868 and rebuilt around 1940, the Brown County Courthouse is the second courthouse in the county's history. It is an anchor of the Mount Sterling Commercial Historic District that was listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 1987.
The 1868 building was a two-story, gable-roofed structure with a pedimented central portico, five openings on each floor of the facade (a door and four large windows on the first floor, and five pairs of narrow arch windows on the second), and a tall cupola at the center of the roof. The courthouse lasted in this form until 1939, when fire largely destroyed the building.
But instead of giving up on the remains and constructing a new courthouse, the county government chose to undertake a three-year rebuilding process. The body of the building is largely the same as before, but officials chose not to rebuild the cupola, and the courthouse was given a hip roof. The rebuilt courthouse has continued in use into the 21st century.
The population of Mount Sterling at the 2020 census was 2,006, while the population of Brown County was 6,244.
Sources:
National Register of Historic Places Nomination Form: Mount Sterling Commercial Historic District; Mount Sterling, Illinois (Wikipedia); Mount Sterling Commercial Historic District (Wikipedia), Brown County, Illinois (Wikipedia)
Tags: Mount Sterling Seat Brown County West Central Illinois IL Rural Small Town Civic Public National Register of Historic Places Mount Sterling Commercial Historic District Reference # 87000724 Historic Courthouse Brown County Courthouse Contributing Architecture Architectural Style Italianate Classical Revival Season Autumn Fall Can EOS 5D Mark IV 5DM4
A view of the three components that make up the Carroll County Courthouse in Mount Carroll, Illinois. This view of the courthouse square looks northeast from the intersection of N. Main and W. Rapp Sts.
The original portion of the courthouse, constructed in 1858, is seen on the north side (far left). During the Civil War years this building was used as a barracks for the enlisted men from their county until the company was formed, outfitted and commissioned. Politically, this was the first county building to house all county offices as well as the county jail under one roof. The building has remained in continued use since 1858.
Designed by the Chicago architectural firm of William B. Olmsted and Peter A. Nicholson, and built at a cost of $30,500, this first section of the courthouse was listed by on the National Register of Historic Places in 1973.
In order to meet the growing needs of the county, an annex seen on the south side (far right) was added in 1895. The north and south sides of the courthouse were finally connected in 1958 by the building in the center.
In addition to being listed on in its own right, the courthouse is an anchor of the Mount Carroll Historic District that was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1980.
Situated in northwestern Illinois, 10 miles east of the Mississippi River and 120 miles due west of Chicago, Mount Carroll is the seat of Carroll County. The estimated population of Mount Carroll in 2018 was 1,578.
Tags: Mount Carroll Mt. Carroll Carroll County Illinois IL County Government Public Buildings Carroll County Courthouse 301 N. Main St. Architecture Architects Olmsted & Nicholson William B. Olmsted Peter A. Nicholson National Register of Historic Places NRHP Reference # 73000692 Mount Carroll Historic District 80001340 Canon EOS 5D Mark IV
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A view of the Carroll County Civil War Soldiers and Sailors Monument that sits on the northwest corner of Carroll County Courthouse square in Mount Carroll, Illinois. Designed by George H. Mitchell, owner of a prominent granite monument company in Chicago, the monument consists of a fifty-foot vertical shaft with a Lorado Taft sculpted soldier holding a flag at the top. Taft was a well-known Chicago sculpture who frequent collaborated with Mitchell on his monuments.
Just below Taft’s statue at the top of the monument are eight engraved symbols representing the various army groups that the men of Carroll County fought in during the Civil War. The monument also includes the names of the twelve battles that the men of Carroll County fought in: Atlanta, Chickamauga, Corinth, Fort Donelson, Gettysburg, Hatchie’s Bridge, Nashville, Resaca, Shiloh, Stones River, Vicksburg, and the Wilderness.
A crowd of more than 5,000 people attended the dedication ceremony in 1891.
Situated in northwestern Illinois, 10 miles east of the Mississippi River and 120 miles due west of Chicago, Mount Carroll is the seat of Carroll County. The estimated population of Mount Carroll in 2018 was 1,578.
Tags: Mount Carroll Mt. Carroll Carroll County Illinois IL County Government Public Buildings Carroll County Courthouse 301 N. Main St. Monument Sculpture Civil War Soldiers and Sailors Monument Designer George H. Mitchell Sculptor Lorado Taft National Register of Historic Places NRHP Reference # 73000692 Mount Carroll Historic District 80001340 Canon EOS 5D Mark IV
© All Rights Reserved