401 East Houghton Avenue
". . . the materials used with the exception of the facing brick, are the product of the Upper Peninsula, the brick used on all inside work being from the yards of Mr. W. P. Seager, Ripley; iron and wood work from Marquette, stone from Marquette, L'Anse and Portage Entry, and last, though not least, the entire building will be covered with Lake Superior copper."
Mining Gazette, July 22, 1886
During the years of 1886 and 1887, the Houghton County Courthouse was built for $75,568 after the design of the architect, J. B. Sweatt. The magnificent appearance of the courthouse reflects the area’s affluence during the mining boom at that time. The building was designed to emulate the Second Empire, Ruskinian Gothic, and Italianate styles. The courthouse contained a jail and the sheriff’s quarters. By 1961 the building had deteriorated to the point where the jail was declared hazardous and was condemned. A new jail was constructed in 1963, adjacent to the Courthouse, at a cost of $200,000.
The 2 ½-story tall building was constructed with an exterior of Cream City brick from Milwaukee, Wisconsin and trimmed with sandstone. The curbed mansard roofs were clad with Keweenaw copper, a nod to the dominant industry of the region. There is a striking central four-story tower which serves as the visual center point of the L-plan structure. Windows are arranged singly or in groups of twos or threes under red sandstone lintels, connected by two red sandstone bands which encircle the building at both the first and second stories. The interior is decorated with rich wood, stone fireplaces, and ornamental plaster. The floor consists of red, brown, and light yellowish brown tiles. A carved oak staircase joins the floors.
Sources: Historic Houghton Walking Tour 2020; Copper Country Architects; Image: Plummer, B. (2006). Houghton County Courthouse. Copper Country Architects. photograph, WordPress. Retrieved July 10, 2024