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Take a tour of the Christian County Historical Society grounds.  



   THE FIRST COURTHOUSE OF CHRISTIAN COUNTY (ORIGINALLY DANE COUNTY) WAS BUILT IN
1840 FOR $2,350.  IT WAS LOCATED IN THE CENTER OF TAYLORVILLE'S PUBLIC SQUARE.  COURT WAS HELD
 ON THE LOWER LEVEL WITH COUNTY OFFICERS SHARING THE UPSTAIRS FLOOR.  SINCE THE CIRCUIT
 COURT CAME TO TOWN ONLY TWICE A YEAR, THE COURTROOM WAS AVAILABLE AT OTHER TIMES
 FOR USE BY THE COUNTY COMMSSIONERS OR FOR PUBLIC FUNTIONS.
  
 UNTIL 1853, CHRISTIAN COUNTY WAS PART OF THE EIGHTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT.  A JUDGE WOULD
 TRAVEL TO ALL COUNTY SEATS IN THE CIRCIUT TWICE EACH YEAR TO HEAR CASES.  THE CIRCUIT WAS
 ALMOST 450 MILES LONG AND TOOK ALMOST THREE MONTHS TO COMPLETE BY HORSE AND BUGGY.
   
ABRAHAM LINCOLN WAS ONE OF THE ATTORNEYS WHO TRAVELED THE EIGHTH CIRCUIT AND CAME
 TO TALORVILLE.  HE HAD TRIALS IN THIS COURTHOUSE BEFORE JUDGE DAVID DAVIS, WHOM HE
 LATER APPOINTED TO THE UNITED STATES SUPREME COURT.  DURING ONE TRIAL, LINCOLN WAS
 INTERRUPED BY A LOUD NOISE FROM THE HOGS UNDERNEATH THE COURTHOUSE.  IN MOCK
 EARNESTNESS, HE ASKED JUDGE DAVIS TO ISSUE A "WRIT OF QUIETUS" REQUIRING THE SHERIFF TO
 ABATE THE NUISANCE!
(Click here to view John McClarey's statue commemorating the event)
  
 THIS COURTHOUSE WAS REPLACED WITH ANEW ONE IN 1859 AND SOLD FOR $267.  IT WAS MOVED
 SEVERAL TIMES BEFORE BEING PLACED ON THESE MUSEUM GROUNDS IN HONOR OF ITS HISTORICAL
 SIGNIFICANCE AND ITS CONNECTION TO LINCOLN.

SPONSORED BY CHRISTIAN COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY,
BERTRAND HOPPER MEMORIAL FOUNDATION, ILLINOIS STATE HISTORICAL SOCIETY,
TAYLORVILLE PARK DISTRICT AND TAYLORVILL TOURISM COUNCIL,
JUNE 2003

 
                                                                                              Memory Lane                                                                                                1st Christian County Court House


 
Buckeye School


       
                                                                                                 Owaneco Train Depot


   
                                                                                          Log House 1820                                                                                           Pence Building (Museum Office)


 
Morrison House