Allegan County

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Allegan

Allegan County is named for the Indian tribe of “Allegawi” or “Allegans”.

 

Surrounding County Courthouses: 

N – Ottawa County and Kent County

E – Barry County

S – Kalamazoo County and Van Buren County

W – Lake Michigan

 

Created:  March 2, 1831                         Map of Michigan highlighting Allegan County

County Seat:

Allegan  1835 – present

 

County Courthouse – Allegan 

 

Location:  113 Chestnut Street / Hubbard Street

Built:  1960 – 1961

Style:  Modern

Architect:  Ralph S Gerganoff of Ypsilanti

Contractor:  Pearson Construction Company Inc.

 

Description:  The building faces southeast and is a two story buff colored brick, glass and concrete structure. The building is located on landscaped grounds in the center of Allegan. The “L” shaped building has a south and east wing. The recessed entrance on the southeast corner is supported by a brick pillar and glass walls above. The east side of the south section is glass. The roof line is flat. The building houses the County Circuit Court, County District Court and County Probate Court of the 48th Judicial District, 

 

See: The architect,  Ralph S Gerganoff of Ypsilanti, designed courthouses  in Alcona CountyArenac County, Charlevoix County and Washlenaw County, and with Stephen T Gerganoff of Ypsilanti in Huron County.

 

First County Courthouse – Allegan 

 

Location:  315 Hubbard street / Walnut Street

Built:  1836

Style:  Schoolhouse

Architect:  Unknown

Contractor:  Unknown

 

Description:  The building faces north and is a two story wood frame structure. The building is located on landscaped grounds in the center of Allegan on the south side of the courthouse. The north front has a central one story porch with two entrances, The roof is hipped.

 

History:  The county was created in 1831 and Allegan was selected as the county seat in 1835 when the county was organized. The first courthouse was a two story wood frame structure built in 1836 as the first school house and rented by the county. The first county building was erected on the southwest corner of the square by S F Littlejohn in 1838 to 1840 at a cost of $1200 as a jail and the second courthouse. A one story brick office structure was erected by Thomas M Russell at a cost of $528 on the northwest corner of the square. The court met in the Methodist Chapel on Trowbridge Street and Walnut Street and in 1854. the unfinished Baptist Church was purchased for courtroom use. The third courthouse was a brick structure built in 1859 to 1860 at a cost of $4,890. A second two story brick office building was erected in 1870 to 1872 on the northwest corner of the square. At a cost of $9,561. The court in 1887 met in the Chaffee Block and in 1889 in the Grange Hall on Locust Street. The fourth courthouse was a three story brick structure designed by Sidney J Osgood and built by J M Crocker in 1889 to 1890 at a cost of $43,855. The courthouse was razed in 1961. The fifth and present courthouse was constructed in 1960 to 1961.

 

Note:  The architect for the 1890 courthouse was Sidney J Osgood but it is presumed that Andrew E French drew up the plans that were not accepted but were the basis of the courthouse built in Livingston County.

 

See:  Michigan’s County Courthouses by John Fedynsky

 

 

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County Courthouse – Allegan

 

 

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Picture 1890 County Courthouse

 

 

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Photos taken 2008