Putnam County Courthouse
Why it's listed
Putnam County Courthouse in Hennepin, Illinois, was completed in 1839 by contractors Gorham and Durley for $14,000. It is a brick building in the Greek style, with a portico of four wooden Doric columns, brick pilasters, stone window heads and a roof carried on wooden trusses. County offices occupy the ground floor and the courtroom and judges' offices the second. In 1893 a two-story north wing, designed by Brainard & Pockend of Chicago and built by J.A. Williams for $4,780, added fireproof vaults and a grand jury room and turned the plan into an L-shape. The building is considered the oldest courthouse in Illinois still serving as one; the courthouse at Galena dates from the same year but has been heavily remodeled. Putnam County was originally the largest county in the state and is now the smallest, and early on the courthouse also hosted religious worship.
Significance in brief: The nomination presents it as the oldest courthouse in Illinois still used as a courthouse, with only minor alterations. It also reflects the political history of Putnam County, which was once the state's largest county and is now its smallest.
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 75000672, listed March 4, 1975. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 4th St., Hennepin |
|---|---|
| County | Putnam County |
| Listed | March 4, 1975 |
| Reference number | 75000672 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 19th and 20th centuries (specific date 1839) |
| Architect / builder | Gorham & Durley (main building, 1839); Brainard & Pockend of Chicago prepared plans for the 1893 addition; J.A. Williams (builder, 1893 addition) |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival |
| Areas of significance | Politics/Government, Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Listed in good condition, occupied, and still in use as the Putnam County Courthouse. |
| Acreage | 1 |
| Coordinates | 41.25629, -89.34790 (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 75000672.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q15269410
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.