Historic Courthouse for Buckeye

 

Buckeye Courthouse and Jail, 1912, Royal Lescher, Architect, Buckeye, Arizona

The presentation last night before the Town of Buckeye Council went off with ease.  It was a progress report on all the design projects that Buckeye Mainstreet Coalition has been working on. My favorite initiative was the Courthouse and Jail.  When it was my turn to walk up to the microphone I felt ready.  It is like feeling full with a knowing and yeah sure, a little cocky.  My heart was beating out of my chest.   It really was! Thanks to the members of the Buckeye Main Street Coalition, Chris Larson, Major Jackie Meck, Verylene Meck and Council of the Town of Buckeye for moulding this whole thing into place.   

Chris Larson is the curator for the Buckeye Historical Society.  In preparation, I asked her to dig into the archives to see if she could find a decent looking photo of the Courthouse in its prime.  

I was scanning my emails last Friday and saw that Chris had found something.  I was excited.  I knew this would be a fresh one since the attachment had a forever long title of numbers and letters.   

When I saw it for the first time I froze.  What I saw was a strong, sure, symmetrical, compact, smart government building built during the Guilded Age.  I was crazy happy.  I threw glitter everywhere.  It is a powerful message.  

The photo somehow hid from public view for decades, avoiding history books and news articles.  

Historical markers give a Town a sense of longevity.   Discovering Historic Buckeye District for the first time I can remember stopping at this building thinking it was a looker and wanted to see it restored.

                      

I take no credit for this video above.  Interesting that this video was cut last month.

Special thank you to Chris Larson, the manager of  Library and Museum for the Town of Buckeye.