Color postcard (13 1/2 x 8 1/2 cm) with a view of the Douglas County Courthouse located between 17th & 18th and Farnam and Harney Streets, Omaha, Nebraska.
This is the second Douglas County Court House. The contract to build it was let to Detroit architect John F. Coots for a total of $204,787. The cornerstone was laid on October 25, 1882. The courthouse was formally received by the City on May 28, 1885. It was located on the crest of Farnam hill approximately 150 feet above the Missouri River. The courthouse grounds covered an area of 264 x 284 feet. The building itself was 112 x 130 feet wide and 140 feet high. The outer walls were of sandstone from Berea, Ohio, and the inner walls were brick. The dome was iron and sheet metal sanded and painted to resemble stone. It was crowned by a 10 foot statue of Justice. The halls were tiled in marble and the staircases were elaborately worked iron. The courthouse was “fireproofed” throughout. Source: Wakeley, Arthur. Omaha: The Gate City and Douglas County Nebraska, Chicago: S.J. Clarke Publishing Company, c1917, pp 131-33, Spencer, Jeffrey, "Building for the Ages: Omaha's Architectural Landmarks", 2003, p. 124.
