Livingston County Courthouse

What is Livingston County Courthouse?

This is a county government building in the Second Empire style, the work of architect John C. Cochrane. The elected county board meets here, and many county departments keep their offices inside. Despite the name, it no longer serves as the working courthouse.

The building stands close to several other listed buildings, including the old Pontiac City Hall and Fire Station, which makes the center of town a good place for anyone who enjoys historic architecture.

History of Livingston County Courthouse

The courthouse dates from 1875 and served the county's courts for well over a century. In 2011 the judges and court staff moved to a new group of buildings nearby, the county's Law and Justice Center, while county government stayed in the old building. The courthouse is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and it remains one of the landmarks that define Pontiac's historic center along the old Route 66 corridor.

Visiting Livingston County Courthouse: tips

Admire the building from the surrounding streets; inside, it is a working government office. Pontiac rewards a walk: the Pontiac City Hall and Fire Station is about 0.1 mile away, and the Jones House and the Strevell House are each about 0.2 mile away. Food is about 0.1 mile away and fuel about 0.2 mile, so it is easy to make this part of a lunch stop on an Illinois day of the drive. Allow half an hour to walk the few blocks and see them all.