The Paw Paw City Hall is a government building located at 111 East Michigan Avenue in Paw Paw, Michigan. It was designated a Michigan State Historic Site in 1971[2] and listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1972.[1]
Paw Paw City Hall | |
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   | |
| Location | 111 E. Michigan Ave., Paw Paw, Michigan |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 42°13′5″N 85°53′29″W / 42.21806°N 85.89139°W |
| Area | 1 acre (0.40 ha) |
| Built | 1842 |
| Built by | Reuben E. Churchill, Stafford Godfrey, & Henry W. Rhodes |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival |
| NRHP reference No. | 72000657[1] |
| Significant dates | |
| Added to NRHP | August 21, 1972 |
| Designated MSHS | December 19, 1971[2] |
History
edit
Van Buren County was originally platted in 1829, and in 1837, the Board of Supervisors chose Paw Paw as the county seat.[3] County business was conducted in schools and private buildings for a few years, until the county decided to construct its own building.[4] About $2900 was allocated to contractors Reuben E. Churchill, Stafford Godfrey, and Henry W. Rhodes.[4] Construction began on this building in 1842 at the site of the current Van Buren County Courthouse, and the building was occupied in 1845.[2][3]
In 1900, it was decided to construct a new courthouse for the county,[3] and this structure was moved from its original site to the current location.[2] It was first used as a feed store,[4] then as a youth center during the Great Depression, and is now used as Paw Paw's city hall.[2]
Description
editThe Paw Paw City Hall is a two-story temple-style Greek Revival structure clad in clapboard with a gable roof.[2] The front facade features a portico with six columns sheltering a double-door front entrance with a Palladian window above.[2]
The building once had a classical cupola on a square base.[2] atop the roof. The cupola was removed in stages, and is now entirely absent.
References
edit- ^ a b "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. July 9, 2010.
- ^ a b c d e f g h "Van Buren County Courthouse". Michigan State Housing Development Authority: Historic Sites Online. Archived from the original on November 3, 2013. Retrieved November 2, 2013.
- ^ a b c "Van Buren County Courthouse Complex". Michigan State Housing Development Authority: Historic Sites Online. Archived from the original on November 3, 2013. Retrieved November 2, 2013.
- ^ a b c John Fedynsky (2010), Michigan's County Courthouses, University of Michigan Press, pp. 176–178, ISBN 9780472117284