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81 persons. Other irregularities call the validity of the ballot into question. in the end, Crystal Falls won the election by a scant margin of , to ,. This “measly” margin “gave us the legal right to have the county courthouse,” said one of the original conspirators. He added,“To rub things in a bit, we built the best in the upper Peninsula.” The courthouse is indeed exceptional and is prominently situated on a hill overlooking the surrounding area. iron County’s average elevation is , feet above sea level, ranging from a high of , to a low of , feet. The building was completed in  at a cost of about $,. its architectural style is Romanesque, featuring a high-pitched roof, high windows, deeply arched doorways, and exterior ornamentation. J. C. Clancy of Wisconsin was the architect. Most notable are the seventeen-foot tall statues representing law, Mercy, and Justice, which were added in  along with the nearby clock tower. On a clear day, the bell can be heard up to four miles away. iron County broke ground in  for a new wing for county administrative offices. The project included extensive renovation of the interior and exterior of the old building. The exterior was sandblasted to return the stone to its original lemon color. The wooden bell tower was temporarily removed and placed on the ground to allow for refurbishing of the bricks supporting it. The deterioration was bad enough to prompt iron County to stop ringing the bell because its vibrations were believed to exacerbate the crumbling of the bricks. The new wing is not the first one added to the courthouse . in  iron County dedicated an expanded wing containing offices such as the county treasurer. A more recent modernly designed building housing the prosecutor ’s office is across the street. The circuit courtroom on the second floor is impressive in its scale and detail.At the time of construction, it was the largest auditorium in the upper Peninsula. At the center of thehighdome-shapedceilingisamassivechandelier.Facing out from above the bench behind the chandelier is decorative detail proclaiming,“in God We Trust.”The ceiling itself is embossed octagonal tin featuring intricate designs. The recent renovation refinished the tin’s paint job. Elsewhere inside one can find fine oak doors with decorative hinges and an elegant staircase featuring an oak balustrade with pointed newel posts. Another old touch some may find less quaint are the sinks located in the hallway outside of the restrooms for men and women alike to share. But because the location of the courthouse itself cannot be shared, the “Jewel of iron County”—as it is known locally—for some of the county’s approximately , residents will forever be a crown jewel pilfered from iron River. it is a jewel just the same. iRON COuNTY ...

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