A 3"x5" acetate negative, aerial photograph of the main square and Butler County courthouse in David City, Nebraska. The 3 1/2 story stone-and-brick, gothic-style building with arches above the windows and entrance is surrounded by a lawn and leafless trees. A square, one-story, stone jailhouse is at one side, a street lamp on the opposite side along with a pickup truck and car in the street.
Thorpe Opera House Foundation/Boston Studio Project
Local Accession Number
0DD04600000
Source
Original format: 3"x5" acetate negative from the Boston Studio Project collection.
Historical Notes
The current site of David City became the county seat in 1873. The original small, frame court house was replaced by this brick Romanesque-style, three-story structure with spires on all four corners and a tall center tower, at a cost of approximately $40,000. The cornerstone was laid in 1890. The finest materials and workmanship were used in the construction. The building began to deteriorate in the 1920s and the center tower was removed in 1930 because of its poor condition. In lieu of extensive remodeling, a proposal for a new courthouse was successfully voted upon in 1962. The old courthouse was demolished and the new building was dedicated in 1964.
