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| County History |
The
Putnam County Courthouse is situated prominently in the hamlet
of Carmel, the county seat of Putnam. The courthouse overlooks
Lake Gleneida and is a fine example of the Greek Revival style
of architecture. It was placed on the National Register of
Historic Places in 1976. Up until December 1988, when it was
closed for repairs, it had been the oldest courthouse in continuous
service in New York State.
After Putnam County was separated from Dutchess County by the State legislature
in September 1812, half an acre of land was designated for the construction of
a courthouse. In 1814, the original courthouse was completed. The builder, James
Townsend, was also the owner of a nearby forge and was the first man to attempt
to get iron from what became known as the "Tilly Foster Mine." Mr.
Townsend incorporated locally forged ironwork in his construction of the courthouse.
The first court session was held on February 15, 1815. By the 1840's the first
courthouse was too small for the growing population of the county and a new building
was proposed in 1842. It was to be built in Cold Spring, a growing Hudson River
community. But owing to a clause in the deed prohibiting construction of the
courthouse on another site, the new building was erected on the same site incorporating
parts of the earlier structure, especially the old jail. Repeated renovations
inside the building have all but destroyed its history but the exterior has remained
largely unchanged for its circa 1847 expansion and updating when the stylish
temple form with a giant portico, Corinthian columns, and belfry were added.
The four columns and their capitals are of particular merit, architecturally,
having been constructed from designs meant to copy those found on the Monument
of Lysicrates in Athens.
Another renovation, in 1855, saw the construction of a jail to replace the jail
which stood at the northeast corner of the courthouse and yet another jail was
constructed in the structure in 1907.
That jail finally closed in 1977. From the mid-1800's through 1966, the Putnam
County Courthouse not only housed the jail, but the County Sheriff and the sheriff's
wife, who, as the jail matron, cooked meals for the prisoners.
The top floor of the courthouse was partially destroyed by fire in 1924, but
it was repaired and rebuilt exactly as before. However, in the early 1980's county
officials became concerned about the growing disintegration of the courthouse.
Deliberations on how to renovate and rehabilitate the historic structure went
on for several years. Actual work on the courthouse began in 1989. The architect's
goal was to maintain the exterior style and to return the interior to its original
floor plan. The project however, was plagued with many problems and it was not
until June 10, 1994 that the historic courthouse reopened. Funds were not available
to restore the jail. The cells still remain, and are used primarily as storage
space. Currently the courthouse is home to Surrogate's Court offices and the
chambers of Supreme Court Judge John W. Sweeny, Jr. The historic courtroom serves
as a venue for both civil and criminal proceedings, and is often the site of
special governmental and judicial events.
The county office building, located next door to the historic courthouse, was
first built in 1822. Since that time, it has undergone many re-creations and
revisions. The second floor of the 1871 structure provided space for the surrogate.
The 1936 expansion created a suite for the county judge and surrogate, a children's
court room and the county library. The county library became the Putnam County
Supreme Court Law Library and remains on the second floor. The anticipated new
courthouse, when built, will include a larger and more modern law library capable
of providing a greater range of resources and services for the judicial, legal,
and public communities. |
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