Old Collier County Courthouse, Neoclassical courthouse in Everglades City, Florida.
The Old Collier County Courthouse is a two-story concrete and stucco building located in Everglades City with tall columns, symmetrical proportions, and ornamental pediments characteristic of Neoclassical design. Its facade presents a formal and balanced appearance typical of courthouse architecture from that period.
Collier County was created in 1923 and used three temporary buildings as courtrooms until this courthouse opened in 1928, just before the Tamiami Trail dedication. Barron Collier and William O. Sparklin's construction company built it for about $25,000 from a design by Bail, Horton and Associates. It served until 1962, when the county seat moved to East Naples after a 1959 vote of 1,647 to 1,006.
The building has served as Everglades City Hall since 1962, when the county seat moved to East Naples. Its name survives in the Old Collier County Courthouse title, and the town was called Everglades until it was renamed Everglades City in 1965. Visitors can spot the 1948 portico modifications and the 1956 judge's chamber and jury room.
The building stands at 102 Copeland Avenue North, in the heart of Everglades City, and has served as the city hall since 1962. Visitors can see it from the street; a handicap ramp added in the 1980s is on the east side. It is an active municipal office, so enter during public business hours.
The building was documented in a Florida architecture guide in 1989, more than two decades before its National Register listing in 2013. This early recognition shows that preservation experts understood its historical value long before official designation.
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