Genesee County Courthouse

Genesee County Courthouse is a three-story limestone building in Batavia that embodies Greek Revival design principles with classical proportions and details. Its most prominent features include a two-tiered cupola at the center, fluted Doric pilasters along the walls, and 12-over-12 double-hung sash windows that punctuate the facade.

The courthouse was built in 1841 as a replacement for an earlier timber frame structure that had served the area. It originally functioned as the primary court facility for the entire Holland Purchase region until that territory was divided into multiple counties.

This courthouse occupies a site that Native Americans once knew as the Great Hearing Place, making it a continuation of where important gatherings happened in this region of Western New York. The building still serves as a gathering point for the community today.

The building houses offices for the county manager, district attorney, and legislature chambers, with specific court proceedings still taking place there regularly. Visitors should understand that it operates as a working governmental building, and access may be limited depending on official business and court schedules.

The courthouse bell has an unusual origin tied to a playful prank by a local resident named David McCracken, who initially rang it around town as a joke. The bell eventually made its way to the courthouse after changing hands and became a lasting part of the building.