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In the act of the legislature of February 13, 1800, erecting Centre as a separate county, it was provided that Bellefonte should be the county seat and the owner of the land on which the was built. with characteristic public spirit, promptly conveyed to the county a lot on which to build a court house and a one-third interest in all the lots in the town to a board of trustees for the same purpose.
By the beginning of 1805 these lots had yielded a sufficient revenue to enable the county commissioners to proceed with the work which they accordingly did in the same year.
The first building was an unpretentious affair, occupying part of the space now taken up by the present building and was constructed of stone and two stories high. By 1811 the business of the county had grown to such proportions that it was necessary to build wings to both the northern and southern sides.
In 1835 the need for more room became apparent and the present columned front was built during that year. This building continued in use down to the year 1854 and by that time had fallen into such general decay that it was decided to tear it down and erect an entirely new structure. Acting to the limit of their powers, all the old buildings were torn away except the columned front which was left standing.
With this exception the entire structure was rebuilt in that year and remained in that condition until the year 1905. By that time the building had become antiquated. There was no fire protection, no toilet accommodations, no water for drinking purposes and the rooms of the county officers were too small.
For this reason it was decided to build an addition on the western end forty feet deep and eighty feet wide and also to build a basement for the installation of a heating plant. The rooms in the main building were rearranged. Although some people were in favor of tearing down the entire building, better counsel prevailed and the present beautiful and imposing columned front was retained. The present court house is one of the most beautiful in the state. Of course it stands on a hill. All buildings do in Bellefonte. It occupies a commanding position at the head of High Street and is one of the first things to come into view as one passes up the street from the railroad station.
The structure is of two stories with the main court room, which is large and airy, on the second floor. It is provided with all necessary conveniences and back of the judge's bench hangs a handsome clock. On the floor are also the grand and petit jury rooms, judge's chambers, waiting and toilet rooms and all other necessities.
On the first floor are the rooms of the county officers, all large, well lighted and provided with every modern convenience for transacting business. The stairways leading to the second floor are built of iron with marble treads and the lobbies and corridors are wainscoated with marble. Standpipes run to each floor from the towns water mains, so that there is practically immunity from fire and full protection of county records.
In the financing of the new building the people of Centre County established a precedent. They were able to do it without raising the tax levy a single cent or in any way increasing the tax burdens of the citizens of the county.
This was accomplished by borrowing the sum of $100,000 at four percent interest and, not withstanding the fact that there was a very poor market of bonds in the summer of 1905, this loan was placed so that it netted the county treasury over two percent profit on the transaction.
Arrangements were made with the Bellefonte Trust Company so that by the payment from the county funds of $1,100 every six months for a period of thirty years, the entire amount of $100,000 would accumulate. In that time although the actual payment by the county was $66,000, the accumulated interest on sinking fund aggregating the balance of $34,400. -
Williamsport Sun
Souvenir Booklet, Centre Co. Court House Dedication, 5/19/1911
HISTORICAL SKETCH
"In the passage of the act of 13th of February, 1800, erecting Centre county, it was provided that Bellefonte should become the county seat. The principal consideration therefore was set forth in the deed from the proprietors of the town to the trustees of the new county whereby they not only set aside the square for the erection of the county buildings thereon, but conveyed an undivided one-third interest in all the lots of the town to the county.
By the beginning of the year 1805 it was found that this fund had grown sufficiently to warrant the erection of a court house. Up until this time the sessions of the court were held in the stone house at the northeast corner of High and Spring streets, then the property of James Dunlop and now owned by the Jacob Valentine estate.
The first court house was an unpretentious two-story atone building occupying the space now taken up by the front lobby and the offices of the prothonotary and register. This structure was completed, as nearly as can be ascertained, in the fall of the year 1805 or the spring of 1806, the second story .being devoted to the court room.
During the next five years the business of the county grew so rapidly that the little court house was insufficient for its needs, and wings were built in the year 1811 to both the northern and southern ends extending somewhat beyond the western front of the original building. For many years these additions were apparently sufficient for their purpose and in 1835 it was suggested that the building be ornamented and dignified by the erection of the present columned porch which was completed during that year.
By 1854 the court house had fallen into a bad state of repair and petitions were presented to several grand juries asking for a recommendation, for the erection of a new building. These were continually refused until, after repeated urging, two grand juries finally recommended "alterations and repairs." Acting on these recommendations the Board of Commission-era went to the limit of their powers and tore away all the building except the columned porch, rebuilding the entire structure to the rear thereof and completing the same in 1855.
Notwithstanding the fact that there was no basement under this building, that It had no toilet accommodations, no water, even for drinking purposes, and none at all for fire protection, the old building remained practically as It was rebuilt in 1856 for fifty-five years, until the annual repairs grew to a very large figure. With no fire protection for the county records, no water accommodations, and not sufficient space for the transaction of the ordinary business of the county or the proper care of the records, a serious condition has confronted-each Board of Commissioners for many years, until the necessity became too great to be longer avoided.
For many years the court house has been insufficient for the proper transaction of the business of the county, and during the past ten years the various Boards of Commissioners had seriously considered a reconstruction of the old building. However, no definite plan had been made until the present board was confronted with the actual necessity of making some decided change and enlargement. This necessity arose by reason of the following facts, viz:
1--The Vaults containing the county records were not fireproof, and each one was filled to overflowing with its records, while the county treasurer had no vault for his use.
2--The grand jury, twenty-four in number, were compelled to hold their sessions in a small jury room, with no cloak or toilet accommodations, and their witnesses, who had to wait in the courtroom, were a constant interruption and delay to the court proceedings.
3--The register and his deputy and the recorder and his deputy used the same office, with no privacy in the transaction of business, and continual interference with each other's work. The commissioners had no private room for either their board meetings or for the transaction of the county's business with the numerous citizens who come to see them, and the regular office work was greatly handicapped thereby.
4--Neither the judge, the district attorney, the county superintendent of schools, nor the county surveyor had offices in the building, thereby putting the county to the annual expense of much outside office rent.
5--The laws of this State provide for the maintenance of a law library in connection with each county court house. The old library, located in what was practically a passage-way or cloak-room, was placed on open shelving reaching to the top of a fifteen-foot wall, and the valuable books thereon were not only ruined by dust and dirt, but many of them were out of reach.
6--The main entrances to the court-room were so arranged that the coming and going of those in attendance at court caused the greatest confusion, and the seats in the auditorium were raised in such a manner that the rising and seating of the audiences during the court proceedings caused much interruption; while the ceiling of the courtroom was in bad condition and needed general repairs, and the furnishing and decorating of the room, done piecemeal during many years, was neither in harmony with the style of the building nor of the room itself.
7--The offices on the first floor were badly lighted, with no ventilation, as the old building had no cellar or basement floor, and the retaining walls along the side streets were so high and so close to the building that they increased the unhealthy condition of the offices. The corridor floor was merely a stone pavement, laid over fifty years ago without any underdrain, and was impossible to keep clean and in a sanitary condition. There was the toilet conveniences were few, poor and unsanitary.
8--The roof of the building was improperly supported and had sunk in several places until it was in danger of col. lapse. The roofing material was leaky and in general bad condition, and the mechanism of the town clock had been repaired and patched so often that it could no longer be considered a timepiece.
9--The court house was constructed in 1855, fifty-six years ago, and of late years had become a source of healthy annual expense to the county in continual repairs.
With these reasons as a basis, the present Board of Commissioners decided to build the addition to the eastern end of the court house building, which had so often been strenuously recommended by grand juries, and to undertake the other improvements also recommended by them. They then consulted various architects and men of experience in such matters, which deliberations finally resulted in the selection of the plane of architects Newman & Harris, of Philadelphia, for the building of the eastern addition and of certain necessary and long needed improvements to the old building.
The board then presented the plans for the contemplated alterations and improvements at a meeting held at the home of Judge Ellis L. Orvis, consisting of his honor, the judge, each member of the bar of Centre county, who was able to attend, and Superior court judge, General James A Beaver. After a complete investigation and discussion of the subject, these gentlemen not only unanimously approved of the same as being in line with the recommendations of many grand juries, but urged the board to take immediate action thereon.
It was the general opinion of the treat majority of persons approached on the subject that the main portico or front of the building, erected in 1835, should not be changed in any way. Upon careful examination it was found that while the walls were in every way substantial, yet the tearing down of any portion would probably mean the collapse of the one so opened. Therefore, it was the opinion of the architects who were selected, as well as of other prominent architects who were consulted, that the erection of an addition to the eastern end of the old structure was the only solution of the problem.
The plans as originally decided upon, contemplated the building of the eastern addition eighty feet wide and forty feet deep, to contain sufficient room for the grand jury and its witnesses, a vault for the treasurer, and offices and a vault for the commissioners on the first floor, with offices for the judge and district attorney and sufficient room for a memorial hall and library on the second floor. A basement was also to be excavated under the addition to make room for a heating and ventilating plant, as well as additional vault space for the future years. The plans also provide for the rearrangement of the office rooms so that the register and the recorder should each have separate offices, a room for the county superintendent and county surveyor, a janitor's room, several toilet rooms and an enlargement of the prothonotary's vault space. They also included the remodeling of the court room, the proper support of the roof and a permanent cover therefore, fireproofing of the vaults, and some method of making the entire building as nearly fireproof as possible.
PRESIDENT JUDGES OF CENTRE COUNTY.
Since the organization of Centre county the following men have occupied the bench as president Judges.
James Riddle - 1800-1804
Thomas Cooper - 1804-1806
Johathan Hoge Walker - 1806-1818
Charles Huston - 1818-1826
Thomas Burnside - 1826-1842
George W Woodward - 1842-1851
James T Hale - 1851-1851
Alexander Jordon - 1851-1853
James Burnside - 1853-1859
James Gamble - 1859-1859
Samuel Linn - 1859-1868
J B McEnally - 1868-1868
Charles A Mayer - 1868-1874
John Holden Orvis - 1874-1883
Adam Hoy - 1883-1884
Austin O Furst - 1884-1894
John G Love - 1894-1904
Ellis Lewis Orvis - 1904-
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