Michigan's County Courthouses

Berrien County

24 st. JosePh—the tug-of-war for the county seat of berrien County pulled some communities apart, drew others together, and left another in the lurch with a courthouse that would serve various functions before preservationists prevailed upon the county to notice its historic value. Named for John m. berrien, attorney general to President andrew Jackson, berrien County was first part of lenawee and then neighboring Cass County. It is among several counties in michigan that make up the Cabinet Counties, as each was named for a different member of Jackson’s cabinet. It was formally organized in 1831 with inaugural local elections shortly thereafter. Court was first held in Niles, the principal settlement in the southeastern part of the county and near the Indiana border, at the “Council house,” which was the home of alamanson huston.spanish raiders in 1781 briefly occupied the area of Niles, which has also seen French, british, and american rule. Niles to this day prides itself as michigan’s only city of four flags, which the city seal reflects by bearing the words terra de quattuor vexilli. by 1832 court moved to the coast of lake michigan at present-day st. Joseph, which at the time was called Newburyport. Court was first held in a log schoolhouse, then at the store of William huff, and then finally in a building remembered as the “old White schoolhouse.” It remained there until 1837 when it was moved to the less populous but more geographically central berrien springs. one historical account recalls the maneuvering of the competing delegations appearing before a legislative committee in lansing. the Niles delegation secured the floor and spoke first at length, extolling in flowery oratory its virtues. the chair of the berrien springs delegation slipped out, went to the finest hotel in town, and arranged for a sumptuous banquet. he gave particular regard to having “a great plenty of wines and liquor.” he returned in time for Niles to finish speaking and took the floor. all that was said in favor of Niles is equally true of berrien springs, he said. but he concluded that talking and listening were “dry work” and invited the committee to supper. the legislators enjoyed good food, drink, and laughter as the gape-jawed Niles delegation looked on with longing eyes. the next morning the committee voted against Niles, and Governor stevens t. mason later approved the act moving the county seat to berrien springs. Berrien County berrIeN CouNty 25 Gilbert avery, a local master builder, built the 1839 berrien springs Courthouse. Its style is elegant Greek revivalist featuring four large columns and mainly wooden materials painted white on the outside. It measures sixty by forty by twenty-four feet, with a sixteen-foot belfry capping the roof. Judge epaphroditus ransom presided over the first session, where a man was tried and convicted of stealing boots, socks, and mittens worth ten dollars and, ultimately, a sentence of one year. by the 1870s grumblings about moving the county emerged. the courthouse grew shabby and could no longer hold all the county records. muddy roads and no railroad between the county seat and the more populous Niles and the larger coastal towns of st. Joseph and benton harbor hastened the move of the county seat. most of the legal talent of the county was on the coast, yet Niles seemed to prevail in the contest for the circuit judge. matters came to a head in the early 1890s. st. Joseph and benton harbor, sister cities who were originally competitors along with Niles for the county seat, came to an agreement.ajointcommissiondecidedthat benton harbor would support st. Joseph provided that st. Joseph donated land for the court that was in view of benton harbor across the st. Joseph river. Plans for a site in the marsh between the two towns were abandoned as impracticable. It was also rumored that st. Joseph made a side deal as well when it promised not to compete with benton harbor for a mutually desired chapter of the Knights templar. the county required $25,000 to secure a site. Niles objected to the legality of st. Joseph’s proffered bond because st. Joseph was already heavily in debt due to bonds already taken out for other municipal improvements. select citizens of st. Joseph came through with personal bonds, and the first battle was won. a heated campaign for the vote ensued. Voters in st. Joseph and benton harbor carried the day over the opposition...