{"nrhp_refnum":"74002284","name":"Stephenson County Courthouse","other_names":[],"category":"building","location":{"address":"Courthouse Sq.","address_restricted":false,"city":"Freeport","county":"Stephenson County","state":"IL","lat":42.29807181900003,"lon":-89.62207040799996,"geom_source":"nps_gis"},"listed_date":"1974-01-17","is_nhl":false,"nhl_designated_date":null,"areas_of_significance":["Architecture"],"significance_levels":["state"],"summary":{"what_it_is":"A two-story stone county courthouse with attic and basement on Courthouse Square in Freeport, Stephenson County, Illinois, built 1870-73 to designs by architect Elijah E. Myers of Springfield.","why_significant":"The nomination calls it a well-designed and uncommon example of a Second Empire courthouse in Illinois and the only known Second Empire design by Myers. Theodore Roosevelt gave an address from its steps in 1903. A Civil War veterans' monument in the front yard adds to its interest.","narrative":"Freeport's county courthouse, completed in 1873, is a two-story stone building with attic and basement, designed by Springfield architect Elijah E. Myers. A committee began the search for plans in 1869, the cornerstone was laid in 1870, and the final cost with furnishings reached $130,413. Its facade has a projecting central pavilion with a triangular pediment and a colonnaded porch, two forward wings, string courses, and a Mansard roof with ornate dormers. A central tower was removed in 1926, and the large courtroom was later divided by partitions. The nomination valued it as an uncommon Illinois example of Second Empire design and the only known work by Myers in that style. Theodore Roosevelt spoke from its steps in 1903. A Civil War veterans' monument of yellow stone with four bronze soldiers stands in the front yard. Later correspondence indicates the county pursued demolition shortly after listing.","period_of_significance":"1870-73","architect_builder":"Elijah E. Myers","architectural_style":"Second Empire","criteria":[],"status_note":"Described as in fair, altered condition and run down, with its tower removed in 1926; later correspondence in the file says demolition began in 1974 and that it was demolished.","vacant_flag":null,"machine_generated":true,"model":"claude-sonnet-5-5","prompt_version":"v1.0-2026-10-29","generated_at":"2026-10-29 02:55:35.113035-05","source_pdf":"https://s3.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/opastorage/live/64/8941/28894164/content/electronic-records/rg-079/NPS_IL/74002284.pdf"},"photo":null,"district":null,"sources":{"nps_snapshot_date":"2026-05-22","nara_catalog":"https://catalog.archives.gov/id/28894164","wikipedia":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stephenson_County_Courthouse","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q24887327"},"indexable":true,"url":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/illinois/stephenson-county/stephenson-county-courthouse-74002284/"}