Lincoln University    Date:   2009

  Young Hall

  Constructed in 1931

Completed in 1931, Young Hall was originally named College Hall.  Located on a sloping section of the campus, College Hall housed a gymnasium and two departments of physical education, one for men and one for women.  It also included classrooms, locker rooms, faculty offices, administrative offices, the library and laboratories for biology, chemistry and physics.

In 1938, College Hall was renamed to Young Hall in honor of Lincoln University’s 7th and 19th president Nathan B. Young.  Formally appointed on August 19, 1923, he served until 1927, and again from 1929 to 1931.  From the beginning of his term, Present Young worked to transform Lincoln University into a “first class institution of higher learning in the Middle West” by raising the qualifications for college teaching and organizing the university into departments.  His vision and high objectives paved the way for Lincoln University to become accredited and grow to its current proud stature in Jefferson City.

In 1997, Young Hall was added as a Historic Preservation Commission Landmark.  It stands proud between Chestnut Street and Dawson Drive and currently houses the Office of the President and the administrative offices of Lincoln University.

Thomas Jefferson    1743-1826       Date:  2002

THOMAS JEFFERSON (1743-1826), third president of the United States, was born at Shadwell, VA, April 13, 1743.  The date is a Missouri state holiday.  His father was a well-to-do planter.  After studying at the College of William and Mary he “read law” and entered into politics.  He was a delegate to the Continental Congress and was chosen to draft the Declaration of Independence.  After the new government was formed he became the first Secretary of State.  He was elected President in 1800 and took office on March 4, 1801 for the first of his two terms. 

Although Jefferson had advocated a limited role for the federal government, he was quick to take advantage of Emperor Napoleon’s offer to sell the French province of Louisiana to the United States, realizing that this large area had immense importance to the future of the new nation.  The negotiations were completed in 1802.  The area of Missouri lay wholly within the Louisiana Territory.

In 1803 Jefferson commissioned his confidential secretary Meriwether Lewis, along with William Clark, to lead an expedition to explore the newly acquired territory.  The party started from St. Louis by water in May of 1804 and passed the site of Jefferson City in early June.  The explorations continued for more than two years, again passing the site of Jefferson City in mid-September of 1806.  William Clark later became the last territorial governor of Missouri, which became a state in 1821. 

Jefferson completed his term as President in 1809.  His great project in his remaining years was the founding of the University of Virginia.  He died at Monticello, the magnificent dwelling he designed and built, on July 4, 1826.  By coincidence his revolutionary war colleague, and later political rival, John Adams, died on the same day.

It is entirely fitting that our state capital should bear the name of Thomas Jefferson, who was so important to the future of our state.

The ornament features a painting of Jefferson by Rembrandt Peale, completed in 1805 while he was President.  The original is the property of the New York Historical Society.

Cole County Courthouse                Date:  1987

Cole County was named in 1820 in honor of Captain Stephen Cole, who erected Cole’s Fort, where the town of Boonville now stands, during the war of 1812 as a protection against the British and Indians.

The county originally formed a part of St. Louis County as established in 1812.  In 1815 it became a part of Howard County with the county seat at William Jolly’s house at Cole’s Fort.  In 1818 it was transferred to Cooper County and so remained until November 16, 1820 when the Act establishing Cole County was approved. Cole County then included what is now Moniteau County.

John Inglish, John Vivion and James Stark were commissioned as judges by Governor Alexander McNair, Missouri’s first governor.  The county court of Cole County was opened April 2, 1821 in Marion at the home of Inglish, an early pioneer and member of the Tennessee colony who came to Missouri in 1815-16.  A courthouse and jail were built in Marion, completed in 1825 for $748.

In 1829, the county seat was moved to Jefferson City.  The last meeting at Marion was held February 3, 1829, under the Act of January 21, 1828 removing the county seat.   Various rented spaces were used until a permanent courthouse could be built.

In February 1836, an appropriation of between $4,000-$5,000 provided funds for a building reported to be 54 by 54 feet, with hip roof, two stories, the foundation of stone and the front wall of hammered stone. Builders were Thomas L. Ferguson and the contracting firm of Griffith and Crump.  The building (on the site of the present courthouse) faced west, 40 feet from the street. The first floor contained the county clerk’s office and vault and a courtroom.  The second floor remained unfinished for years.  After the state capitol burned in 1837, the courthouse provided space for the state government.

The courthouse was condemned in 1891, but voters defeated a proposition for a new building.  In 1892 the grand jury reported it unsafe and dangerous.  Finally, in 1895, voters approved a $60,000 bond issue, providing the means for a new courthouse.  After a fire the building was razed in 1896 and most of the stone (locally called “cotton rock”) was used in the new courthouse.]]The Cole County court received 22 proposals for a new building.  Two proposed designs were modeled after the state capitol.  One called for a 130-foot replica of the capitol dome on an Indiana stone building with 32-foot stone columns supporting a 16-foot porticoed entry.

The court adopted the plan of a local architect, Frank B. Miller.  When contractors submitted bids on Miller’s plan, they offered two figures based on the use of either Warrensburg or Cartage stone.  R. J. Wallau’s bid of $47,750, using Carthage stone, was accepted in March 1896.  Cornerstone ceremonies were held in July of that year.

The first story was of stone; the second story was of pressed gray brick with copper and stone trim.  The tower rose 126 feet from the ground and featured four dials for the clock and an observation platform.  County offices were on the first floor.  The circuit court room, measuring 45 by 63 feet, with a seating capacity of 500, was on the second floor, Total costs came to approximately $60,000.

While vaults provided fire protection for records 19-century courthouses were often destroyed or damaged by fire.  Miller’s courthouse plan for Cole County was presented as “practically fireproof,” an apt. but unfortunate, description.  The building suffered extensive fire damage March 14, 1918.  Miller again acted as architect of the repaired building.

This courthouse has been placed on the national Register of Historic Places.