Welcome to the historic Eaton County Courthouse. Built from 1882 to 1885 to
replace the small Greek Revival courthouse, the county used the building until
1976 when the county built the new modern courthouse.
The decision to build a new courthouse in Charlotte was part of a larger
national movement to erect beautiful public buildings designed to be the center
of county activities. The rational for building these structures was both
practical and hopeful. Americans needed new courthouses to house the larger,
stronger governments that emerged after the Civil War. Many counties in northern
states chose to celebrate their wartime victory with a new public building.
As you tour through the building today we invite you to enjoy the interesting
museum exhibits highlighting the history of Eaton county while taking time to
examine the building itself. The architectural style, the construction materials
utilized, the room arrangements, and the obvious display of “new” 19th century
technology can all tell us something about the history of Eaton County.
You can visit all the stops on the tour one after the other,
or you can choose each stop directly on the left.
You may click on
the pictures for a larger view and more information
