HOOKER COUNTY COURT HOUSES

by Frank Harding

Entry T2 from the History of Hooker County Nebraska
with permission of the Hooker County Historical Society

First Hooker County Courthouse -- 1889. County
Officials L-R -- Judge Barret; Treasurer - Frank
Albright; Clerk - C. M. Barnebey; Deputy Sheriff
- Bob Burns; Sheriff - Charles Rector.

Working on the new courthouse in Mullen, December, 1912.

Hooker County Courthouse Annual Fall Fair 1988.

The original patent to the land where
Mullen, the Hooker County seat, is located
was held by Geo. W. Vleit. This piece of land,
described as the north one half of the north
one half of section 20 township 24 Range 32,
was bought by Amos Gandy and George
Trefren for a town site, for the sum of
$917.00. In 1888 Gandy and Trefren laid out
and platted the town of Mullen.

When the county was formed and elections
held, the first Board of Commissioners,
Stephen Ham, William Proctor and E.M.
Grant, held their first meeting June 17, 1889.
At that meeting they called for an election to
vote bonds in the amount of $1,500.00 to raise
money to build a Court House and jail.

On June 18, 1889, Amos and Mary Gandy
and Geo. and Mary Trefren deeded Block #5
of the original town of Mullen to Hooker
County for the sum of one dollar, providing
they build the courthouse on it.

The board met July 6, 1889 and passed a
motion to issue bonds in the amount of
$1,500.00 at 6 percent interest. At a July 17th
meeting they asked for volunteers to help
unload a safe from the train car. The safe cost
$340.00 and was stored in the depot.

On Sept. 6, 1889 the board accepted an
offer of the Stull brothers to purchase
$1,500.00 worth of bonds for $1,504.00.
However, on Sept. 16 they rejected Stull
brothers offer and accepted an offer from
C.A. Imskoff for $1,521.00.

Sept. 26 the board awarded a contract to
William Shier to build a Courthouse and
issued a warrant for $364.00 to buy materials.
They also contracted William Shier to build
a privy for $32.00. On Nov. 15, 1889 the
Hooker County board of Commissioners
accepted the new Courthouse and Jail. The
original courthouse was a one story frame
building, measuring 26 feet long and 24 feet
wide. It had only two rooms with a hall
between. The Jail was made of 2 by 4 boards
nailed flat one on top of the other.

As the county developed and the popula-
tion grew, the old courthouse was much too
small. The citizens of Hooker County filed a
petition with the County Board Oct 4, 1911,
to sell bonds for $15,000.00 and build a new
Courthouse.

At their Feb. 6, 1912 meeting the County
Board, consisting of Bert Gregg, Geo. Fuller
and Esquire Crain, accepted a bid to sell
$15,000.00 in bonds at par value to Geo. M.
Betchel and Co. of Davenport, Iowa. The
bonds paid 5 percent interest and were to
mature in 20 years. At the evening session on
Feb. 6, they met with Oscar B. Kirschke, an
architect from Grand Island, Ne. to go over
plans for the new building. They requested
that a completed set of plans be submitted
at their Mar. 5th meeting.

At the the Mar. 5, 1912 meeting, G.M.
Betchel did purchase the $15,000.00 bonds.
The board also inspected the Kirschke plans
and specifications which they accepted and
paid $400.00 for the plans. Oscar R. Kirschke,
the architect, posted a $10,000.00 bond to
assure erection, construction and completion
of a courthouse with a $15,000.00 limit on
cost. The Co. board also voted to dispose of
the old courthouse and jail at public auction
April 2, 1912 at 1:00 P.M. and they arranged
to have the courthouse yard plowed and
readied for planting trees when they arrive.

The old courthouse and jail were sold April
2, 1912 at an auction conducted by Oscar
Kirschke. The high bidder and buyer was
S.O. Simonsen. This same day the board
opened bids for construction of the court-
house. There were 5 bids: Otto Hehnke,
Scottsbluff, Ne. ($14,750.00) - Robt. Isdale,
Kearney, Ne. ($11,458.00) - Wm. Southern,
Grand Island, Ne. ($12,093.00) - W.H.
Hogg, Ansley, Ne. ($14,841.00) - Louis
Schmidt, Mullen, Ne. ($14,005.00).

Robt. Isdale's bid of $11,450.00 was accept-
ed and included a bid from the Paulev Jail
Co. making the completed contract
$12,200.00.

Since the County officers must vacate the
old building immediately, County Judge
W.E. Bowers was ordered to remove the
records, etc. of his office to the north room
of the Hawley Building (now known as Big
Lil's). The County paid $46.00 for the use of
this building for 7 months.

The Tribune Hall was selected for a
courtroom for the term of District Court
starting May 16, 1912.

The board also hired Speck and Recter to
drill a well on the courthouse block for $86.00.

On Sept. 12, 1912 the County board, Geo.
Fuller, A.J. Gregg and Esquire Crain, accept-
ed the new County Courthouse and ordered
all county officials to move into their respec-
tive offices as soon as possible. That day they
also approved a claim to W.H. Wigent of
$99.70 for brass cuspidors and other fixtures.

Other than a few minor repairs and
improvements, the courthouse is much the
same today as it was in 1912. It is probably
one of the better constructed buildings in
Mullen even by todays standards.