County
Then, on the third and final day of the war, one Pewaukee supporter gave in and voted for Prairieville, sealing the location of the County Seat and ending the meeting. With the location of the County Board now decided, a courthouse needed to be built. William A. Barstow, a resident of Prairieville who would eventually become a Wisconsin Governor, donated a piece of property on Main Street, and the board immediately contracted John Gale Jr. "and others" to construct the new Courthouse. Work began in 1846, but the building's foundation was not sufficient to support the structure, and in 1847, the work done by Gale had to be torn down and rebuilt. The two story, domed building was finally done in 1849, and the County Board moved in.
So, in 1893, after a heated debate, the Board voted to tear down the 1849 courthouse and construct a newer, larger building on the same spot. The old County Courthouse was torn down the very next day, and construction began immediately. The new building was to be 72 feet by 92 feet in area, with two floors, a basement and a tower rising 130 feet above street level. Atop the tower was to be a golden statue of Justice, one hand grasping a sword and the other holding high the Scales of Justice. On the face of the tower there was to be a large clock, but it was scrapped from the plans when the workings became too expensive to build and maintain. The Circuit Court held its first session in the building on January 9th, 1894 in a room that was said by some to be too grandiose for a village of less than 7,000 people. "The room is beautiful with a lofty ceiling and lighted with many windows and furnished with a plain but dignified handsome way... All the woodwork is quarter-sawed oak, carefully selected and of fine quality." - A Freeman Reporter This new and elegant Courthouse served Waukesha for over 50 years. Though the Courthouse and County Offices moved once again in 1959 to their present location, the old building still exists, and currently functions as the home of the South Eastern Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission, and the County Historical Museum. Today, the functions of county government reside not in a single building but in a large complex just south of the county airport. The Courthouse, just recently remodeled in 1997, is a 3.55 million dollar building, and many other offices reside in what was once the famous Moor Mud Baths. Waukesha's County Government continues to expand and grow to provide all the services required by one of the fastest expanding counties in the Midwest.
|
In January of 1846, the Territorial Legislature voted to separate Waukesha County from Milwaukee. The County Board met hurriedly in an attempt to secure a county seat and Waukesha's separation from Milwaukee, which was tentative at best. The rush to choose a county seat led to a great debate among representatives from the various towns of Waukesha.
On June 10, 1846, the board met in the basement of the First Congregational Church in Prairieville, beginning a three day war for support. Representatives made such a ruckus in the church's basement that spectators from all over the county arrived to enjoy as well as partake in the spectacle. As the debate reached its second day, the race was narrowed to Prairieville and Pewaukee, with 8 votes a piece.
For forty four years, the courthouse served its purpose, housing both the Board Meetings, as well as regularly held administrative positions. However, the building was quickly becoming antiquated as Waukesha approached the turn of the Century. It had no running water, no electricity and no room left to store records.