Historical Buildings of Southern Illinois | Jack Home Construction Blog

At Jack Home Construction, we have a great appreciation for the architecture and history of Southern Illinois. We would like to draw your attention to another interesting piece of local history: Pope County Courthouse. We invite you to join us as we take a closer look at this historic building.

The Pope County Courthouse is one of the oldest buildings that is still being used as a courthouse, located in a small park on Main Street in Golconda, IL. It was designed and built by architects Young and Frick from 1871 – 1873, with most of the construction being completed in 1872.

The two-story building is made of brick and has a gable roof. A belt course, which is a horizontal band of masonry that separates the two levels, adds visual interest to the building. The side of the courthouse has six windows in three bays, while the front has a single side window and three façade openings on each floor. A façade opening is any opening in a building’s wall that has been created for the purpose of access or to let light in. The second floor façade also features an oculus set within a pediment, which is a triangular gable that crowns the façade and contains a circular or oval opening. A monument on the courthouse lawn honors Sarah Lusk Ferguson, a pioneer-era woman who operated a ferry on the Ohio River.

The courthouse is a contributing property to the Golconda Historic District, which was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1976.