The Scott County Courthouse in Winchester was completed in 1885 at a cost of $35,500. Designed by the St. Louis architectural firm of James Stewart, the building has elements of the Greek Revival, Italianate, and Federal architectural styles. In 1977, an Illinois Department of Conservation historic preservation report remarked that the courthouse "is so uniquely eclectic as to defy categorization."
Square sections with a single rounded-arch window on each story are placed on the building's corners, while the remaining portions of the sides feature several similar windows spaced closely together. A stone stringcourse visually separates the stories. Above the entrance rises a three-story tower topped with an exceptional onion dome. In 1917, the county converted the tower into a clock tower.
The courthouse sits catty-corner to the northeast of Winchester's town square. It is the largest building within the Winchester Historic District listed in 1979 on the National Register of Historic Places. The district includes 438 buildings, of which 273 are contributing, including this courthouse.
Winchester is the seat of Scott County. Located in West Central Illinois, the city is part of the Jacksonville Micropolitan Statistical Area. The estimated population of Winchester in 2019 was 1,467.
Tags: Winchester County Seat Scott County West Central Illinois Illinois IL Scott County Courthouse 35 E. Market St. Architecture Architectural Style Greek Revival Italianate Federal Eclectic Contributing Property Winchester Historic District National Register of Historic Places Reference # 79000870 Canon EOS 5D Mark IV
A view of E. Market St. looking west from S. Hill St. at the mid-to-late 19th century commercial buildings on the north side of Winchester's town square. As the seat of Scott County, Winchester is an excellent example of the small, rural Illinois county seat built on the town square plan as it developed during the third quarter of the 19th century. All of the attributes are present: the square itself, enclosed by commercial buildings and an imposing courthouse; fine residences and churches; an almost complete lack of industry; and, quite important in preserving the aura, no major highways.
The flavor of Winchester is that of a peaceful rural county seat that established itself early - most of the city's prominent buildings were built before 1870 - and has changed very little over the years. All of the buildings shown in this photo of the north side of Winchester's square are contributing properties within the Winchester Historic District listed in 1979 on the National Register of Historic Places. The district includes 438 buildings, of which 273 are contributing.
Located in West Central Illinois, the city is part of the Jacksonville Micropolitan Statistical Area. The estimated population of Winchester in 2019 was 1,467. Scott County was the last of Illinois' 102 counties to report its first COVID-19 case and, as of June 2021, only one soul has been lost to the pandemic here.
Tags: Winchester County Seat Scott County West Central Illinois Illinois IL Architecture School Architectural Style Italianate North Side Town Square E. Market St. Winchester Historic District National Register of Historic Places Reference # 79000870 Canon EOS 5D Mark IV
A view of the old commercial buildings on S. Main St. in Winchester, Illinois. The buildings on the near left to the corner form the west side of Winchester's town square.
As the seat of Scott County, Winchester is an excellent example of the small, rural Illinois county seat built on the town square plan as it developed during the third quarter of the 19th century. All of the attributes are present: the square itself, enclosed by commercial buildings and an imposing courthouse; fine residences and churches; an almost complete lack of industry; and, quite important in preserving the aura, no major highways.
The flavor of Winchester is that of a peaceful rural county seat that established itself early - most of the city's prominent buildings were built before 1870 - and has changed very little over the years. The first four buildings on the right are contributing properties within the Winchester Historic District listed in 1979 on the National Register of Historic Places. The district includes 438 buildings, of which 273 are contributing.
Located in West Central Illinois, the city is part of the Jacksonville Micropolitan Statistical Area. The estimated population of Winchester in 2019 was 1,467. Scott County was the last of Illinois' 102 counties to report its first COVID-19 case and, as of June 2021, only one soul has been lost to the pandemic here.
Tags: Winchester County Seat Scott County West Central Illinois Illinois IL Architecture School Architectural Style Italianate West Side Town Square S. Main St. Winchester Historic District National Register of Historic Places Reference # 79000870 Canon EOS 5D Mark IV