Old Allegany County Courthouse
Also known as: Angelica Town Hall
Why it's listed
Built in 1819 on Park Circle in Angelica, this two-story painted brick building served as the Allegany County courthouse until the county seat moved to Belmont in 1892. It has a generally rectangular plan, a hip roof with a bracketed cornice and plain frieze, and an eight-sided cupola at the center of the roof. Four brick chimneys, a recessed front entrance with double doors, and a smooth stone foundation complete the exterior. Inside, the woodwork and trim remain in good repair, and the elliptical courtroom is praised for its simple dignity and fine proportions. After the courts left, the building housed school rooms, a church, a gymnasium and a polling place, then an armory during and after World War I. It now serves as town offices and a Boy Scout meeting place. Only minor changes have been made, including bricking in the large rear windows. It remains an important part of the village circle.
Significance in brief: The nomination cites the building's architecture, its political role as the county courthouse from 1819 until 1892, and its place on the village circle. The elliptical courtroom is noted for its simple dignity and fine proportions. The building has seen only minor changes and anchors a circle not yet broken by unsuitable buildings.
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 72000821, listed August 21, 1972. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | Park Circle, Angelica |
|---|---|
| County | Allegany County |
| Listed | August 21, 1972 |
| Reference number | 72000821 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 19th Century |
| Areas of significance | Politics/Government, Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Currently used as town offices by the Town of Angelica and by the Boy Scouts; condition listed as excellent and unaltered apart from minor changes. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Within district | Angelica Park Circle Historic District |
| Coordinates | 42.30534, -78.01573 (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 72000821.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7083380
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.