The first Columbia County Courthouse was built on this site in 1848. It was designed by Napoleon LeBrun, the same architect who designed the Academy of Music in Philadelphia. The original courthouse is not the core of the building you see here. If you look at the courthouse from the West side, on Second Street, you can still see a portion of the original brick courthouse. The courthouse was expanded twice. It was moved forward in 1868. At the time, it was described as having an Iconic style with a bell tower. In 1890, an addition designed by A.S. Wagner was built in front the courthouse. Because the addition was so big, and the design changes were so major, this new building was viewed as the second courthouse in the country's history.
(Inscription below the portrait in the upper left) Napoleon LeBrun, Architect
(Inscription beside the photo in the center left) A Bloomsburg Pioneer-Daniel Snyder came to town and starting with very little except determination, he borrowed money to buy 26 acres of land and build a thriving tannery in 1806. He also built a 2-story home that later became the Forks Hotel, which stood from 1825 to 1875. Snyder was selected the country's representative to the state legislature from 1841 to 1844, and played a key role in the "removal" of the seat of Columbia County from Danville to Bloomsburg in 1845.
(Inscription beside the image in the lower left) The Susquehannock Indians were the first occupants of the Susquehanna River Valley, leaving a legacy of colorful town names such as Catwissa, Nescopeck and Shickshinny.
(Inscription beside the image in the upper center) A Romanesque Revival Style-The courthouse design was created using a Romanesque Revival Style with Henry Hobson Richardson's influence; brick and brown Hummelstown stone, galvanized iron cornices, rounded arches, open balcony window arcades, intricate foliage carvings and short columns. Look up at the courthouse columns and you'll see beautiful carvings of leaves and flowers. They were influenced by the Henry Hobson Richardson design style.
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