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| County History |
The original courthouse in Rockland
County was located in Tappan which was the county seat for all
of Orange County (which at the time included Rockland County.)
It was a log structure, complete with whipping posts and stocks.
In 1774 the courthouse was moved to New City and shortly after
the revolutionary war, the two-story frame courthouse was completed.
In 1798 Rockland separated from Orange County. After that, New
City became the county seat.
The courthouse that was completed after the revolutionary war quickly proved
to be inadequate to the needs of the growing population. In 1823 the proposition
to provide a larger location was approved, but controversy arose over its proposed
location. At that time, New City was in the geographical center of the county,
but it was not in the center of population. In 1827 a decision was made which
stated that the proper and convenient site for the courthouse was where it currently
stood. The old wooden courthouse was demolished and a new two-story brick building
was built during 1827 and 1828.
In 1846, a fire proof building was built south of the courthouse which contained
the county clerk and surrogate offices. In 1856, a two-story brick jail was built
adjacent to the courthouse. In 1873, due to the unfit and inadequate conditions
of the buildings, the building which was erected in 1846 was demolished and a
new one was built. No extensive additions were made from this time until the
modern courthouse and jail were built in 1929.
The courthouse built in 1929 had an underground tunnel that connected it to the
jail next door. At the time it was labeled as the "most modern type" because
it had a kitchen, laundry room, fingerprint room, prisoner interview room, and
several levels of cells. |
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9th
JD
