Hamilton County Courthouse, County courthouse in Noblesville, Indiana, US
The Hamilton County Courthouse is a three-story rectangular brick building in Second Empire style, built 1877–1879, with a clock tower on its mansard roof and limestone Corinthian pilasters. Beside it stands the 1875–1876 jail: a two-story ell-shaped jailer's residence with a rear cellblock and a three-story square tower that once had a mansard roof.
The courthouse was built between 1877 and 1879, while the jail was erected in 1875–1876. In 1925, Ku Klux Klan Grand Dragon D. C. Stephenson was tried and convicted of murder in this courtroom. The complex was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1978 and became a contributing property to the Noblesville Commercial Historic District in 1991.
The courthouse is still the seat of Hamilton County's courts, and its square hosts community events. The 1925 trial of Ku Klux Klan Grand Dragon D. C. Stephenson, convicted of murder here on November 14, drew national attention and is the building's best-known episode.
The courthouse is located in downtown Noblesville and is accessible on foot from nearby streets. Visiting the interior may require security screening, so plan your visit during regular business hours for the best experience.
The building complex includes a jailer's residence with attached cellblock, a feature rarely seen in modern courthouses that shows how legal facilities once operated as self-contained communities. The residence's corner tower once featured a mansard roof, adding architectural distinction to the overall design.
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