It may seem like spitting hairs to be differentiating between Greek Revival, Classical Revival, and Neo-Classical. True, the styles share many similarities, but there are a few significant differences, and also, it allows me to process these buildings in smaller batches, as it just can get overwhelming quickly to try to assess and rank too many buildings at once.
Classical Revival was a development from Greek Revival. It often has the same details of Greek Revival (massive columns topped by a front facing pediment) but done on a much more monumental fashion. It brought in more elements from Roman Architecture, which was somewhat more ornamented than the purity Greek temples, but with the common addition of a dome. Classical revival is less ornate than the Beaux Arts style but more detailed than the later Neo-Classical which was similar, but generally with flat, balustraded roofs and less decorated surfaces.
Note, I'm not an advanced expert in these styles, so I might be off a little in my categorization. These are probably the most "prototypical" of the idea of a classic courthouse.
Logan County Courthouse
Lincoln, Illinois
Visited: July 19, 2020
Erected; 1904
Architect: J M Deal
The Logan County Courthouse sits in the center of Lincoln on a spacious square. Handsome commercial buildings face it on all four sides.
The building is a perfect square, symmetrical on all four sides. Constructed of honey colored limestone and concrete, there is an arched entry on the first floor, with four Ionic columns spanning the second and third stories. The columns are capped with a large triangular pediment. On top is an appealing round dome with a large clock facing all four sides.
Sadly, there is really no landscaping to speak of. Some trees and shrubs could enhance the setting somewhat.
Lincoln has the distinction of being the only US city named for Abraham Lincoln BEFORE he became president. He had helped to found the city and had practiced law there for a number of years. There is a legend that he brought two watermelons to the city dedication, and he and the other founders used watermelon juice to anoint the town. It's a strange story, but there is a small monument of a slice of watermelon outside the Lincoln Amtrak station.
Logan County is named for John Logan, a pioneer physician, who was the father of General John A. Logan.
Grundy County Courthouse
Morris, Illinois
Visited: February 7, 2021
Erected: 1913
Architect: Joseph Royer of Urbana
The Grundy County Courthouse is a very handsome building at the south end of downtown Morris. It really share characteristics from a number of styles, with with classical, Neo-classical, and even Art Deco elements in some of its ornamentation. An online reference specified that it is Classic Revival, so I'm including it here.
The facade is dominated by three massive arched windows, each with a door or large window below. The limestone building features four columns that are not freestanding, a flat roof, and some interesting carved decoration featuring the letter "G." We couldn't go inside, but there appears to be some very lovely stained art glass in some of the windows.
The grounds are pretty expansive, and include a large and handsome monument to the soldiers lost in the Civil War.
Royer is one of the most prolific of courthouse architects having designed the current buildings for Bureau, Champaign, Clay, Douglas, Ford, Marion, Piatt, and Richland Counties. I would say this was his best effort.
Grundy County is named for Felix Grundy, a United States Attorney General.
Lee County Courthouse
Dixon, Illinois
Visited: February 6, 2021
Erected: 1901
Architect: Charles E. Brush
The Lee County Courthouse sits on a hill above the Rock River. The limestone and concrete building has a horizontally-banded first floor with square entrance portals below soaring Ionic columns spanning the upper floors. There is a high stone solid balustrade with carvings above the pillars. A round copper dome crowns the building.
This is really a very nice building. Because it is on a hill, the view of the short dome is sort of limited as you approach it.
Dixon has the distinction of being the "Petunia Capital of Illinois," for whatever that's worth. In the late 1950s, highway construction and Dutch Elm disease wiped out much of the familiar city scape. The Dixon Men's Garden Club planted pink petunias along the Main Street to create some appeal to the streetscape. This has continued and it really is something to see all the pink petunias in the summer.
Dixon is also notable as the boyhood home of President Ronald Reagan.
Lee County is named after Revolutionary War Hero Richard Henry Lee.
DeKalb County Courthouse
Sycamore, Illinois
Visited: February 5, 2021
Erected: 1905
Architect: Herbert T Hazelton
I should like this building a lot more than I do. It built of limestone and concrete, has a horiontally banded first floor, four handsome Corinthian columns supporting an elaborately carved pediment and central stone monument. Nothing wrong with any of the pieces, but for some reason I just don't warm to it.
There's a towering Civil War soldiers memorial centered right in front of the main front portico; it's a fine monument, but it's placement really detracts from getting an unimpaired front view of the building.
I'm always caught by surprise when I remember that the city of DeKalb is not the county seat of DeKalb County. Another bit of trivia...apparenty other places name DeKalb in US use a different pronunciation. In Illinois, the "l" is definitely included in the pronunciation.
DeKalb County is named for Johann DeKalb, a German who fought in the American Revolution.
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