HISTORY OF MEADE COUNTY, KANSAS
by Frank S. Sullivan
Copyright, 1916

THE COURTHOUSE
Pages 92-95

During the county-seat fight it was generally understood that if the county seat were located at Meade Center the city would dedicate a block in the center of the town, designated on the official plat as "Block A," to the county, and would erect for the county a court house.

But, "the best-laid schemes of mice and men gang aft agley." Meade Center was designated as the county seat, but the proposed dedication of "Block A" to the county was never made, and neither was the court house ever built for the county.

The building originally used as a court house was a frame building on the south side of the alley of the block in which now stands the Southern Hotel, facing east. This building was rented by the county, and while some of the county officers maintained offices uptown, this was officially the court house, although court was held in the second story of a building located back of the present site of Fick's store, and facing north.

On March 3rd, 1888, the city of Meade obtained from Charles E. Cones a deed for Lots 13 and 14, in Block 3, original survey, and soon thereafter commenced the construction of the present court house, although it was built for, and known for years as, the city hall. It has been used as a court house practically ever since its completion.

In the summer of 1895 negotiations were had between the County Commissioners and the City Council of Meade, looking toward the purchase of this building by the county. The proposition was voted on at the general election in November, and carried by a vote of 288 to 39. The nominal consideration was five thousand dollars, which was paid in a round-about way. The Meade County Bank, which had failed and was then in the hands of George B. Cones, Trustee, was a depository of something like four thousand dollars of the county's funds.

the city of Meade owed this bank ; the city had not the money to pay the bank, and the bank lacked the necessary assets to make restoration to the county, and so the county took over the city hall, paying to the city of Meade the sum of $950.56 and to the trustee of The Meade County Bank the sum of $82.77, and thus released the bank from further obligation to the county. The city was released from further obligation to the bank, the two debts were wiped out, and the county acquired the present court house.

In April, 1911, the county purchased of George B. Cones two lots adjoining the courthouse site, for a consideration of $355.55, and in December, 1915, the county purchased of Lucy R. Allen eight lots adjoining these, for a consideration of $1,600, so that the county now owns an entire half-block, a tract of ground suitable in area and location for a court house such as Meade County ought to have.

The present court house, while having served its purpose well in the past, is by no means adequate to the needs of the present, and it would be false economy to retain it much longer. Not a single office is sufficiently commodious to permit a proper transaction of the business pertaining to that office; every vault is packed and crowded with records until it is a difficult proposition, oftentimes, to find the record of a particular thing required; the Commissioners have nowhere to meet save in the County Clerk's office, which office is of inadequate proportions for that purpose; there is but one jury-room, and that is so small as to be unsanitary ; no record is absolutely safe, and a fire would do incalculable and irreparable damage.

A commodious, modern, fire-proof building could be constructed at a cost to each taxpayer of four dollars on every thousand dollars valuation of his property, and such a building would not only save money to every taxpayer in the way of lessened expense of upkeep and insurance, but the danger of damage or destruction of records would be eliminated, and such a building would add to the value of every tract and parcel of real property in the county.

Not only as a matter of pride, not only as a matter of convenience, not only as a matter of "safety first," but as a matter of dollars and cents, Meade County should have a new court house, and one that will meet the requirements of the future as well as the needs of the present.