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Look Back: New century, new courthouse

By Bob Enoch 3 min read
The laying of the cornerstone for Wood County’s new courthouse drew thousands of people to Parkersburg as the county celebrated its centennial in October 1899. People thronged the area of the soon-to-be courthouse and the north side of Court Square. People were on rooftops, in trees, and at the top of the photo, two men appear to be on power lines. The boom of the crane that is setting the stone can be seen at the right top of the photo. The ladder-looking object near the center is actually one of the supports of the crane. (Photo Provided)

Building of the Wood County Courthouse as the Bicentennial Continues.

The New Corner Stone

The corner stone for the new court house is of the finest grade and will be laid Oct. 5. On the two sides facing Third Street there will be inscribed the names of the county commissioners in the following form: F. Stahlman, Wm. A. McKenzie, Otto Schultz - Commissioners; B.F. Stewart - Clerk; L.W. Thomas - Architect, Canton, Ohio; Caldwell & Drake - Contractors, Columbus, Indiana; B.F. Wood - Superintendent. In the side facing Market [?] Street is the following inscription: Laid By The Grand Lodge of Masons, of West Virginia, 1799-October 5- 1899, Joseph Hall, Grand Master.

The Parkersburg Daily State Journal

Oct. 4, 1899

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Today's program

There is a tremendous crowd of people in the city, the largest of any day of the [Centennial] celebration. This is the largest day of any, and it is fitting and proper that the big crowd come for the final and most elaborate of the events which have filled two preceding days to overflowing.

The big parade takes place at 1:30 this afternoon. Following the parade, which will take up the time until 3, there will be the impressive ceremony, under the auspices of the Masonic fraternity, of the laying of the corner stone of the new court house. The principal address will be made by Judge Jackson, of the Criminal Court, who was not only largely instrumental in securing the new court house, but was a prominent Mason as well. There is no man who is more familiar with centennial history than he is, and he was also one of the special commissioners having the erection of the old court house [1860] in charge.

The Parkersburg Daily State Journal

Oct. 5, 1899

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NEW COURT HOUSE Is Now Finished And Ready For Use

Thrown Open To The Public

One Of The Handsomest Structures In The State

The Total Cost Is About $200,000

A Building that Will Last the County For Many Years to Come

(Thus read the headline in the July 27, 1901, edition of The Parkersburg Sentinel).

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The next time readers of Look Back visit our courthouse, look around. Although there has been some remodeling, the basic structure is the same. Ponder just a moment, that on July 27, 1901, this still beautiful edifice was completed and open to the public. Just one year and eight months after the cornerstone was placed! All without modern-day technology!

In the late 1970s, there were some who wanted to see the court house razed. We must thank and appreciate the work of past and present Wood County commissioners, the West Virginia Courthouse Improvement Authority and especially Wood County Administrator Marty Seufer that "our Lady" is just as beautiful as ever.

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Bob Enoch is president of the Wood County Historical and Preservation Society. If you have comments or questions about Look Back items, please contact him at: roberteenoch@gmail.com, or by mail at WCHPS, PO Box 565, Parkersburg, WV 26102.

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