When the Eaton County Courthouse first opened the main source of lighting in the building was gaslights that cast soft, subtle light. When compared to modern electricity, gaslights seem hardly adequate for lighting the large rooms and open spaces found in the interior of the courthouse. To compensate for the lack of artificial light, Gibbs designed large windows that brought natural light into the courthouse, brightening otherwise dark rooms.

The importance of natural lighting in the 19th century cannot be overlooked. Indoor activities continued after the sun set, drawing people to tables on which sat lamps that furnished a warm glow by which individuals could read, sew, or play games. A parlor center table sits in the middle of the exhibit in this room, with all of the chairs facing inward to it. Such a table and configuration might have been found in some of the courthouses offices originally where officials might meet in the evening.

If people gathered around the table only in the evening, then why include the large windows? The answer to that question can be found on the bottom of the chairs surrounding the center table. Nineteenth century furniture designers often placed castors on the bottoms of chairs to facilitate the easy movement of furniture from a window in the day to the center table at night. This freedom of movement allowed people to contain their use of the sometimes expensive gas to the evening hours.