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In explore at #290
An inversion layer on a cold autumnal afternoon in November near Markethill. The sun has just gone down leaving some nice colour in the Belt of Venus. Taken handheld at f4.0 as the fog was moving around a bit and the scene was ever changing. St John's Parish Church Mullabrack is clearly visible poking out of the fog in this shot.
Explore #49 on January 26, 2023.
The Macoupin County Courthouse was designed by the prolific architect Elijah E. Myers (1832-1909) whose work includes three state capitols (Michigan, Texas, and Colorado), along with courthouses and other public buildings in the United States and internationally. The McDonough County Courthouse, featured last fall in my series on Macomb, Illinois, was also designed by Myers.
After serving in the military during the Civil War, Myers settled briefly in Springfield, Illinois, and it was there that he obtained the Macoupin County courthouse commission. Myers must have put every ounce of his architectural knowledge into the Macoupin County design, whose grand size and elaborate ornamentation seems more suited to a state house than a rural courthouse. The Beaux-Arts building was under construction from 1867-70.
Beyond the beauty of this courthouse is an interesting backstory about how this building came to be known as the "Million Dollar Courthouse." The following description is borrowed from the Macoupin County website (macoupincountyil.gov/)
Macoupin County’s “Million Dollar Courthouse” received its nickname because when construction was halted in 1870 – that was halted, not completed – it cost $1.3 million. That would be $23.5 million dollars in today’s money. At the time, it was the biggest instance of overspending in Illinois history.
There were accusations by county residents regarding misappropriations of funds during the construction of the courthouse. One of the commissioners, Judge Loomis was accused of using stone from the courthouse to build a grand hotel, the Loomis House, on the square. Judge Loomis stated he purchased the stone but never produced a bill of sales. Another commissioner, County Clerk George Holliday, was seen leaving town by train in the middle of the night carrying a carpet bag. Public opinion was that the bag was filled with some of the money raised for construction of the courthouse. Holliday was never seen again and it is still a mystery as to where he went.
When the courthouse was opened in 1870, it was the largest courthouse in the country with the possible exception of one in New York City. The doors, staircases, windows sills and sashes are all made of cast iron, making the courthouse the first fireproof building in the country.
It took the citizens of Macoupin County 40 years to pay off the debt. Many lost their homes and farms because of the taxes. There was a two day jubilee to celebrate the burning of the last bond in 1910.
The “Million Dollar Courthouse” is one of few courthouses of its age that is not a museum, white elephant, or has been demolished. It is still a working courthouse which is open for business 5 days a week.
It stands as an awe inspiring example of what men did with their hands and simple tools a century and a half ago. Over the years, the “Million Dollar Courthouse” has become a showplace that attracts tourists, architects and artist from around the world.
The Macoupin County Courthouse is the focal point of the Carlinville Historic District, added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1976. At the 2020 census, the population of Carlinville was 5,710. efault
Amazing items from {Little Miss} Main Store, LaZo @ Ninety-NIne, Foreign @ Mainstore, BoWillow @ Color Me Cute, Bellybean @ THIMBLE, and so much more: delisadventures.wordpress.com/2017/03/23/explore-your-bed...
I got to see some very heavy rain on the drive home from Prescott. I stopped at Sunset Point to get some photos of the ever changing sky. (Explored 8/22/13 #258)
DRGW K-36 class engines #488 and 489 pause together in Cumbres, CO after 489 disconnected from the end of the train. 488 will bring the train to Osier while 489 will wye and run back to Chama, it's work done.
Explore Dec 18, 2008 #478
- Us imagineu que sigui aixó el que estan parlan aquests dos???? ;-P
Estany de Banyoles en HDR
- ¿Os imagináis que sea eso de lo que están hablando estos dos???
Lago de Banyoles en HDR
كوني هذه الفتره في حالة ركود مع التصوير الا اني لا اطيق الابتعاد عن التواصل معكم
فحبيت اعرض لكم صوره من الارشيف بغرض التواصل من جديد معكم ,.
علها تنال على رضا ذائقتكم الضوئية الجميله ..
Poppies with a tiny slide to bring out their delicate best
see the location in my cliche shot posted yesterday
Explored
Highest position: 183 on Friday, June 8, 2012
ووووه بس .. ووووه يـــا حـبــيــبــي
ويــنـك غـــايـب عــن عيـونــيووو
وووه بــس .. ووووه يــا حـبـيـبــي
ويــنـك غــايـب عــن عـيـونــي
أحــبــك .. أمـووووااااااح
أمــوووت فــيــك .. أمـووووااااااح
وحــشـتــنـي حـــيـل .. حــيــل أنــا مـجــنـونــك
تــعـال بــحـظــانــي أبــغــى أبــوســك
أحــبــك .. أمـووووااااااح
أمــوووت فــيــك .. أمـووووااااااح
أمم أمم أممـووووااااااح
أمم أمم أممـوووواااااااح
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TAKEN BY : my sister
EDiT BY : MOi
MODEL : 3Lawi ( wLd o5oy )
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DEDiCATED TO 3laaaaawy 7beby >> w7shniiii eldooob
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HOPE YOU LIKE iT
^_^
( iN EXPLORE )