Thebes Courthouse
Why it's listed
Overlooking the Mississippi River from a bluff in Thebes, Illinois, this two-story courthouse was built in 1848 under a $4,400 contract with Ernstt Barkhausen. Thebes became the Alexander County seat in 1845, and the first court met outdoors under an elm tree. Judge L. I. Lightner drew the plans, oversaw construction and later presided in the building. It served as the county seat until 1860, when the county jail and courthouse moved to Cairo. The walls are built from local materials, including hand-hewn timbers, hand-sawed boards, split shingles and plaster made with locally burned lime. The facade has a flattened pediment, four pillars and a two-story porch, features of Southern Greek Revival design. The hillside setting is unusual for the style. The courthouse is regarded as one of the earliest in Illinois and one of few surviving buildings of its type in southern Illinois. It was recorded by the Historic American Buildings Survey in 1934 and is now a museum.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues that it is one of the earliest courthouses in Illinois and one of few remaining buildings of its style in southern Illinois. It shows the spread of Southern Greek Revival architecture up the Mississippi River Valley. It also reflects the ambitious plans of early settlers in the region.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 72000447, listed December 26, 1972. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | Off IL 3, Thebes |
|---|---|
| County | Alexander County |
| Listed | December 26, 1972 |
| Reference number | 72000447 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1848 |
| Architect / builder | Ernstt Barkhausen (architect and builder) |
| Architectural style | Southern Greek Revival |
| Areas of significance | Politics/Government, Architecture |
| Level of significance | State, Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Condition listed as fair and altered, on its original site. Owned by the Village of Thebes, occupied, and used as a museum. |
| Acreage | 0.6 |
| Coordinates | 37.21976, -89.45926 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For a publicly owned building or structure, listing mainly matters when federal funds, permits or licences are involved: projects then go through Section 106 review so effects on the property are considered. Listing also strengthens applications for preservation grants and, for leased income-producing uses, can enable the federal rehabilitation tax credit.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 72000447.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q16901540
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.