FLEMINGTON - Hunterdon County celebrated the renovation of the Historic County Courthouse on Main Street as one of the county's prime tourist attractions.
The Hunterdon County Board of Commissioners hosted a ribbon-cutting ceremony July 2 on the courthouse steps to mark the completion of the project also intended to be part of the revitalization of the county seat's Main Street.
Phase 1 of the renovation project included exterior restoration and interior rehabilitation of the Historic Courthouse. The second phase included exterior and interior restoration of the attached jail and warden’s house.
The more than $4 million renovation was offset by a $1,497,000 grant from the Preserve New Jersey Historic Preservation Fund.
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Built in 1828, the building is one of the oldest courthouses in New Jersey and was the scene of the famous 1935 Lindbergh kidnapping trial, also known as the “Trial of the Century."
"Part of what makes Hunterdon County a great place to live and raise our families is because we continue to support the preservation of our local history," County Commission Director Jeff Kuhl said at the ceremony. "On a personal note, I recall my mother, Elsa, being a part of the original committee a couple of decades ago when the idea of restoring and preserving this great courthouse came about. It is important to keep history alive.”
Kuhl added “the courthouse renovation will serve as a catalyst as part of a broader revitalization effort of Main Street in Flemington."
On the other side on Main Street, construction is continuing on the Courthouse Square project that includes a renovated Union Hotel, a fine dining restaurant and bar, 206 apartments and approximately 22,000 square feet of retail space.
According to project architects Clarke Caton Hintz, the first floor of the Historic Courthouse was renovated for office space while the second floor is home to the main courtroom.
Using photographs from news coverage of the Lindbergh trial, designers were able to replicate the former pressed tin ceiling and plaster medallion, the pressed tin walls, the historic lighting and the original furniture.
The original cell block, located on the first and second floors, was restored for use as an art and history exhibit space.
Email: mdeak@mycentraljersey.com
Mike Deak is a reporter for mycentraljersey.com. To get unlimited access to his articles on Somerset and Hunterdon counties, please subscribe or activate your digital account today.
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