Summary
Adams County Courthouse
402 Main Street, Friendship, Adams County
Date of construction: 1913-1914
Architect: Arthur Peabody
In 1911 and 1912, a bitter rivalry erupted between Friendship, the Adams County seat, and the Village of Adams when the Adams County Board adopted architectural plans for a new County Courthouse to be located in Friendship at the site of the original Adams Courthouse. Naturally, Friendship voters, excited for their own aesthetically pleasing landmark, approved the new plans overwhelmingly, while most Village of Adams voters did not. Nevertheless, voters narrowly approved the $30,000 bond issue. In 1914, the original two-story, wooden courthouse was replaced by a red brick Neoclassical building designed by Arthur Peabody, the Supervising Architect for University of Wisconsin. Peabody would later become Wisconsin's first State Architect.
Neoclassical architecture owes its sophistication to the influence of ancient Roman and Greek buildings. The Adams County Courthouse, though considerably simpler in plan and detail than most Neoclassical buildings, has trademark elements such as four colossal pilasters defining the central portico.
The courthouse, which is surrounded by a large lawn in the middle of the commercial district, serves as Friendship's center. Throughout its history, the courthouse lawn has hosted everything from basketball and Friday night ice cream socials to Civil War troops on their way to Camp Randall in Madison.
The courthouse is open during normal business hours.
Property Details
| Criteria | Architecture/Engineering |
|---|---|
| Area Of Significance | Architecture |
| Period of Significance | 1900-1924 |
| Architectural Style | Classical Revival,Other |
| Architect | Peabody, Arthur |
| Resource Type | Building |
| Historic Use | Courthouse |
Resources Within The Property
| Contributing Buildings | 1 |
|---|---|
| Contributing Sites | 0 |
| Contributing Structures | 0 |
| Contributing Objects | 0 |
| Non-Contributing Buildings | 0 |
| Non-Contributing Sites | 0 |
| Non-Contributing Structures | 0 |
| Non-Contributing Objects | 0 |
Designations
| Historic Status | Listed in the National Register |
|---|---|
| National Historic Landmark Listing Date | Mar 9, 1982 |
| Historic Status | Listed in the State Register |
| National Historic Landmark Listing Date | Jan 1, 1989 |
State & National Registers of Historic Places
The State Register and National Register recognize buildings, sites, districts, structures, and objects that are significant in national, state, or local history. The State Historic Preservation Office in conjunction with the National Park Service maintains the list for Wisconsin and makes the data available to the public for research and education.
Questions?
Wondering about if your property is eligible or have other questions about the registers, reach out today!
Email UsAttribution
For a credit line: Wisconsin Historical Society, Creator, Title, Unique Identifier.
The Unique Identifier can be found at the top or bottom of the page for each item. The name of a downloaded file is NOT the unique identifier.
For bibliographic citations please consult the UW-Madison Libraries Citation Research Guide to ensure compliance with appropriate style guidelines.
1313 Belknap St.
82000664
Located in Superior, Douglas County
University of Wisconsin
84000609
Located in Whitewater, Walworth County
460 Henry Mall, University of Wisconsin Campus
85001404
Located in Madison, Dane County
