Jasper County Courthouse (Illinois)

[1]: 369  Louis Jordan's house served as the location of some early government meetings until the county built its first courthouse, a rude log building;[2] it also served as a church building and schoolhouse, and although the county later sold it, the old courthouse lasted at least into the 1880s.

[1]: 413  Like its predecessor, the second courthouse was periodically used for religious worship, with a Baptist preacher being particularly remembered for his activities there.

The newly built Richland County Courthouse was chosen,[1]: 414  and after ornamental elements were removed from the design, a contract for $34,000 was issued.

At completion, the building possessed a dome, but its structural integrity was compromised while it was being repaired to stop leaks, and it was nearly carried off by an 1880 windstorm.

[1]: 415  Since that time, the Neoclassical dome and the central tower on which it sat have been removed, as have been the pediment above the main entrance and the hip roof with its chimneys.