The Aberdeen Democrat. (Aberdeen, South Dakota) 1???-1909, 1904-03-18
BROWN COUNTr'S NEW COURTHOUSE
BY GEO. B. DAILY,

Iwish to refer in opening to other buildings in which
have been housed the officials and the records of Me county sine,
its organization. They are the sombre background Of the stately
building we dedicate to-day, which is tho pride of cHr people. Al
the risk of trenchine on Brother Reeves province, speak of them
The first county business TRANSACTED i" this county Va at
Columbia, in the old store built by the Town Site Company in the
summer of 10. This business was the first meeting If the county
commissioners appointed by Governor Orlwny. At this meeting
the county was formally organized by the commissioners taking the
oath of Office and appointing a full quota OF county officers. THIS
was the 14th day Of September, 1880. This oficial headquarter !
of the county was the first store builling erected between Ilur,n
and jamestown. The next year a larger Store budding was elcctsd
which was occupied by the county until more conmodinus quarter.
were given to county business in tue new James bio k hnlt out o.
Broadway, as Colnmbias main street was called. Later the cit,
of Columbia erectel aud donated 10 the county It's first courthouse
This was occupied aat'' -, #h"a tic s"""t$ sost ws removed i,
Aberdeen, where the county officers were temporarily housed in The
building known us the land Office building, corner Of Main street
and Nicolet ayenne, while the courthouse, built and donated by the
city of Aberdeen, was being completed. Later the county records
went back to Columbia for 4 time. y, IL. superb structure in
which Brown countN's citzsns sahe to lay t, fDrnallv de lirate II
to the sffriai use OF the county forever, as ths sixth building in
twentY-fonr years which has shehTs! the records and the officials
of the county. Three times those 70 cords have been lanled over
the road between Aberdeen and Columbia; they have always been
housed at great BIZ I'D of fire, one Of II g tniuttng being consumed
by flames within . few days after tic r.m,vaE Of the books; nnt nov.
the valued archives Of the county are landed safe from food and
fire, TO wander no more.
That the records have come safely through the Ii zzarl If i
generation, us but ono of The causeso of our self cnngratnlntian TO-DAY.
Another is that the broad domain of our great county has passed
intact through two determined strus lies to dismrnber II, anl it is
safe to say that the people ofthese old-tim, gstrong hoids of secession,
Aberdeen, Groton and Frederick, will glally join the people OF
Columbia and the northeast of the county anil Ron leli, whose votes
prevented division, in jubilee today over the fset that we are one
and insenarabIe. The rearing of this beautiful clifce on lines 80
magnificent as to be in keeping only with y county Of yast area and
great wealth is the sure guarantee that division schemes will never
again be seriously entertained.
That IT. a great thing to he . citizen Of n iig county has been
impressed upon all Of us who have attended state meetings by the
consideration always shown the numerous delegation from Brown
but there is certainly qualification in the consciousness that Brown
ecfsnfv IL GREAT annnuh liz nreet one Of the 5handspYaest DuIIic tnid
ings IN the northwest without laying any seriens burden on he
people. The taxable property % the county IS very close e eigh
million dollars. s
One third o. thecost of this building hs ',nan paid liz wv
years, III addition to SIS, 200 for tho first two yearS1sinterest acernn
On the bonds, taken care If il lbs leviss of 200 ~and19o3, nm
withoa Serious hardship - the taxraycrs nf thc. ranntx. Now, IL
entire 4ent of builliug and fnrDishing the coprihanse, incfudin
sven scyenty odd sllars Tor publishing nassses 50 contractors, an
az passo # dit TEL filing dumped about ihs square, i s1os, 1921