| Year(s) Listed: • 2009 • 2021 |
| City/Town: • Cottonwood Falls |
| Location Class: • Government |
| Built: 1873 | Year Saved: N/A |
| Historic Designation: • National Register of Historic Places (February 24, 1971) • Register of Historic Kansas Places |
| Awards: • Merit Award |
| Contributor: Kansas Preservation Alliance |
2009:
The Chase County Courthouse Interior Project in Cottonwood Falls received a Rehabilitation Medallion Award Rehabilitation restored the courtroom and preserved character-defining features while making the building usable as a modern courthouse.
2021:
As Chase County is largely a rural setting, the Courthouse is one of its more grandiose structures, designed by the architect John G. Haskell, architect of the Kansas State Capitol Building. Its Italian Second Empire style is quite unique to the area. Not only is it a local point of pride, but it should be recognized statewide as an example of Haskell’s work, along with being the oldest continuously operating courthouse in the state. The nature of its historic significance is both artistic and of civil service.
One of the Chase County Courthouse’s most striking features is its 150-year-old mansard roof clad in red terne metal. Last re-painted in 2000, the roof was in need of repair by 2019. The terne metal roof needed repair and repainting and select areas at the chimneys needed re-pointing. Ben Moore Studio researched methods for terne metal repair, as this method of roofing is not commonly used in modern construction. The team helped the owner find contractors who were comfortable performing the historic method. To complete construction drawings, our studio utilized a drone to capture footage of the areas of the roof difficult to reach. The design team challenged themselves to create a step-by-step manual for the old terne metal repair technique, rather than a standard set of construction drawing.