Old Courthouse / Sheriff's Residence & Jail : 1857 to Today HomeCopyright & Fair UseHistory of the CourthouseFAQsResourcesCourthouse Renovation HistorySheriff's Residence & JailFeatured StoriesCourthouse LecturesEconomic Impact of the CourthouseClarence Darrow & Eugene V DebsClarence DarrowEugene V. DebsNews Stories of InterestThe Saga of the Courthouse WellSearch by NewspaperChicago TribuneMcHenry County DemocratMcHenry County Republican Woodstock AmericanWoodstock DemocratWoodstock RepublicanWoodstock Sentinel19th CenturyEarly 20th CenturyLate 20th CenturyPhotographs & Other Media Late 20th Century 1950-1959 February 23 1950 | Abandoned Courthouse Room Uncovered During RenovationsFebruary 6 1951 | Civil Defense Signal System to be Installed at CourthouseMay 18 1951 | Switchboard Installed at CourthouseMay 24 1951 | Thieves Break into Courthouse and Ransack Sheriff's OfficeAugust 15 1951 | Board of Supervisors Considers Plans to Renovate CourthouseSeptember 13 1951 | Courthouse Renovation Plan Moves Forward with Supervisors' ApprovalSeptember 29 1951 | Trial of Milton Christofferson Ends in Not Guilty VerdictSeptember 30 1951 | Lester Edinger Breaks Ground on New Courthouse AdditionNovember 14 1951 | Public Building Committee Opens Bids for Courthouse AdditionNovember 26 1951 | Work Expected to Start Shortly on Courthouse AdditionFebruary 14 1952 | Board of Supervisors Members Express Regret Over Previous Renovation DelaysAugust 22 1952 | Courthouse Addition Intended to Address Lack of Vault SpaceJuly 17 1953 | County Lawmakers Study Courthouse for Fire RiskFebruary 14 1956 | Board of Supervisors Vacates Courthouse July 19 1957 | Courthouse Centennial Cause for Celebration‹› 1960-1964 September 13 1961 | Fallout Shelter Planned for CourthouseJanuary 30 1963 | Mobile X-Ray Unit Outside Courthouse Offers Free ExamsAugust 13 1963 | Board of Supervisors to Discuss Courthouse RenovationsAugust 19 1963 | Different Projects Proposed for Potential Courthouse RenovationsSeptember 9 1963 | Upcoming Board of Supervisors Vote to Decide Fate of Courthouse RenovationsSeptember 11 1963 | Supervisors Vote to Take No Action on CourthouseOctober 8 1963 | Board of Supervisors to Consider Revisiting Courthouse Expansion October 9 1963 | Estimates for Courthouse Expansion ArriveNovember 5 1963 | Sentinel Editorial Calls for Courthouse Annex ExpansionFebruary 12 1964 | Board of Supervisors Urged to Act on CourthouseFebruary 28 1964 | Courthouse Project Subject to Committee ReviewMarch 10 1964 | Courthouse Plans Advance After Passage of ResolutionMay 13 1964 | Five Supervisors Named to Building Commission for Courthouse Expansion July 15 1964 | Supervisors Approve Resolution to Limit Project ExpendituresOctober 13 1964 | Ivar Frederick & Son Awarded Contract for Courthouse Expansion November 11 1964 | Supervisors Discuss Site for New Courthouse ‹› 1965 February 10 1965 | New Courthouse Subject of Supervisors DiscussionFebruary 26 1965 | Architects for New Courthouse to be InterviewedJune 15 1965 | Wisconsin Architecture Firm Reported to be Selected for ContractOctober 6 1965 | City Council Approves Commission Recommendations for New SiteOctober 7 1965 | New Courthouse Site to be Presented to Board of SupervisorsOctober 8 1965 | Chamber of Commerce Endorses Courthouse ExpansionOctober 11 1965 | Sentinel Calls for Annex Expansion in Courthouse RenovationsOctober 13 1965 | Board of Supervisors to Deliberate on New Courthouse SiteOctober 14 1965 | Supervisors Set to Discuss Courthouse at Next MeetingOctober 20 1965 | Woodstock City Council Drafts Plans for Annex Expansion October 20 1965 | Answers Needed for Courthouse Decision October 21 1965 | Courthouse Vote Delayed at Supervisors MeetingOctober 22 1965 | McHenry County Bar Association Weighs in on Courthouse RenovationOctober 22 1965 | Sentinel Commends Supervisors for Courthouse PostponementDecember 2 1965 | Sentinel Reporter Polls Woodstock ResidentsDecember 6 1965 | Report Conducted by Public Building Commission ReleasedDecember 6 1965 | Supervisor Edwin Buckley Publicly Comments on Commission ReportDecember 8 1965 | Buckley and Other Supervisors Draft New Plan for CourthouseDecember 10 1965 | New Draft of Courthouse Unveiled at Supervisors MeetingDecember 13 1965 | City Council Unable to Approve new Courthouse SiteDecember 13 1965 | City Council Unable to Approve new Courthouse SiteDecember 14 1965 | Supervisors Approve New Courthouse Site December 16 1965 | Supervisors Issue Statements on Courthouse Site Approval December 31 1965 | Conditional Contract Signed for Courthouse ‹› 1966-1967 January 5 1966 | Courthouse Petitions ReadJanuary 7 1966 | Concerns Over Courthouse Expansion Reach City CouncilJanuary 11 1966 | Supervisors Discuss Possibilities of Moving Courthouse Off the SquareFebruary 16 1966 | Marines Open Recruiting Office in CourthouseApril 4 1966 | City Council Strikes Down Courthouse Annexation QuestionMay 10 1966 | City Council Deliberates On Downtown Courthouse LocationJune 28 1966 | Public Pressure for Downtown Courthouse Prompts New PlanningAugust 10 1966 | Commission Reports on Selection Process for Courthouse SitesAugust 17 1966 | Woodstock Mayor Responds to Supervisors' Letter on Annexation QuestionAugust 31 1966 | Courthouse Site Meeting DismissedSeptember 8 1966 | Supervisors Discuss Requesting City Council for Site Recommendation November 16 1966 | Courthouse Site Survey DelayedDecember 6 1966 | Construction Firm Hired by City Finalizes Courthouse ReportFebruary 3 1967 | Commission Members Express Doubt on City's Site RecommendationMarch 15 1967 | Woodstock Chamber of Commerce Offers Help to SupervisorsMarch 29 1967 | City Council Hosts Discussion on CourthouseApril 6 1967 | Algonquin Township Passes Courthouse ResolutionApril 17 1967 | Reprint: Courthouse Site Report (1903)April 26 1967 | Newly Uncovered Fire Code Violations at Courthouse Spark New DiscussionMay 10 1967 | Courthouse Meeting Slated for JuneMay 12 1967 | Local Resident Weighs in on Courthouse ConstructionJune 7 1967 | Reprint: McHenry County Courthouse Completed (1858)June 9 1967 | Reprint: Board of Supervisors Accept Courthouse (1858)June 14 1967 | Background Given on New Courthouse Site June 15 1967 | Chamber of Commerce Passes Resolution on CourthouseJune 16 1967 | Board of Supervisors Presented with 24 Sites for CourthouseJune 19 1967 | Courthouse Site Meeting SlatedJune 20 1967 | Nine Courthouse Sites Retained for Further DiscussionJune 21 1967 | Supervisors Narrow Down Courthouse Sites to Two OptionsJune 23 1967 | Citizens and City Council Pool Funds for New Courthouse June 27 1967 | Supervisors Continue to Debate Courthouse SitesJuly 7 1967 | Courthouse Site Proposal Presented to SupervisorsJuly 7 1967 | Woodstock Kiwanis Club Discuss Courthouse SiteJuly 12 1967 | Architect Presents Plans for Potential Annex ExpansionNovember 14 1967 | Village of Cary Officials Propose Sites for New CourthouseNovember 27 1967 | Village of Crystal Lake Tosses Hat into Ring with Site ProposalDecember 13 1967 | Board of Supervisors Hold Special Meeting to Discuss CourthouseDecember 14 1967 | Company Offers Parcel of Land in Exchange for Courthouse‹› 1968 January 3 1968 | Groups Behind County Fair Move to Terminate 99-Year LeaseJanuary 8 1968 | Woodstock Officials Hold Panel Discussion on CourthouseJanuary 9 1968 | Woodstock City Council's Presentation of Proposed Annex SiteJanaury 15 1968 | Courthouse Site Procedure GivenJanuary 17 1968 | City Council Defers Decision-Making on CourthouseMarch 13 1968 | Supervisors Move to Defer Action on CourthouseMarch 20 1968 | Courthouse Site Subject of Discussion in Upcoming MeetingMarch 22 1968 | City Council Take No Action on Courthouse April 9 1968 | Algonquin Township Maneuvers to Move County Seat to Crystal LakeApril 10 1968 | Fairgrounds Site for Courthouse May Appear on November BallotMay 8 1968 | Lack of Courthouse Action Noted by Circuit Court Grand JuryMay 22 1968 | City Council Votes to Retain Counsel for CourthouseJune 4 1968 | City Council and Board of Supervisors Continue to Disagree on CourthouseJune 11 1968 | Grand Jury Weighs in on Courthouse Lack of ActionJune 25 1968 | Fairgrounds Site for Courthouse on BallotJune 28 1968 | Historical Society Contemplates Courthouse VoteAugust 15 1968 | Supervisors Receive Budget Draft Allocating $1.5 Million for CourthouseAugust 15 1968 | Legality of Courthouse Bond Sales Comes Under QuestionAugust 26 1968 | Commission Unanimously Approves Fairgrounds Site for Courthouse August 29 1968 | Courthouse Plans Presented to County BoardAugust 29 1968 | Board of Supervisors Narrowly Approves Fairgrounds Site PlansSeptember 4 1968 | City Council Balks at Courthouse Vote ProposalSeptember 6 1968 | Courthouse Location Debate Over Four Years Old NowSeptember 11 1968 | Gubernatorial Candidate Richard B. Ogilvie Lectures at CourthouseSeptember 18 1968 | Supervisors Explore New Ways to Bring Courthouse Site to a VoteSeptember 27 1968 | McHenry County Farm Bureau Shows Support for Fairgrounds SiteOctober 2 1968 | City Council Votes to Delay Courthouse Vote Again October 9 1968 | Supervisors Vote to Request Commission to Study Courthouse SitesOctober 15 1968 | Public Buildings Commission Resumes Talks on Courthouse December 4 1968 | City Council Addresses Parking Site Stance to Commission ‹› 1969-1978 January 15 1969 | Jan. 30 Set as Courthouse Decision Day January 30 1969 | Architects Hired by County Recommend Bigelow Site for CourthouseJanuary 31 1969 | Board of Supervisors Votes to Negotiate the Purchase of Bigelow SiteJanuary 31 1969 | Public Builings Committee Chairman Expresses Joy at Board DecisionFebruary 3 1969 | Architecture Firm Submits Courthouse Plans for Bigelow SiteFebruary 5 1969 | Councilman Stuessy Presents Courthouse PlansFebruary 12 1969 | Bigelow Site Purchase Authorized by SupervisorsFebruary 19 1969 | Preparations Ordered for the Annexation of Bigelow Site February 26 1969 | Pre-Annexation Draft Reviewed March 5 1969 | City Council Approves Pre-Annexation AgreementNovember 24 1969 | County Board Discusses Montgomery Ward as Potential Courthouse SiteDecember 2 1969 | Final Courthouse Site Selected by City CouncilDecember 12 1969 | McHenry County Scavenger Sale Scheduled at the CourthouseDecember 12 1969 | McHenry County Scavenger Sale Scheduled at the CourthouseJuly 24 1970 | Preliminary Plans for Proposed County CourthouseAugust 24 1970 | History of McHenry County Courthouse and JailDecember 3 1970 | IL Law Enforcement Commission to Consider Grants for CourthouseApril 8 1971 | McHenry County Courthouse to Break Ground on April 13February 23 1972 | Citizens Ask City Council to Save CourthouseMarch 1 1972 | Courthouse Annex Approved for Sale by City CouncilMarch 13 1972 | Calls to Preserve Old Courthouse Grow LouderApril 27 1972 | Courthouse Cornerstone Dedication Delayed May 9 1972 | Old Courthouse Sold for Fifty-Thousand DollarsMay 10 1972 | Courthouse Buyer Announces Plans for StructureAugust 21 1972 | Governor Ogilvie Signs Legislation at Courthouse Annex September 25 1972 | Cornerstone for Courthouse Laid October 9 1972 | New Courthouse Nearing CompletionJuly 18 1973 | City Council Approves Old Courthouse ConversionAugust 29 1973 | Initial Development for Old Courthouse Revamp CompletedNovember 29 1973 | Grand Opening of the Old Courthouse and JailApril 15 1974 | Eby Jewelery Becomes First Shop to Open Doors in Old Courthouse May 12 1975 | Old Courthouse and Jail Attracts Shoppers to WoodstockAugust 22 1975 | Magazine Features Article on Old Courthouse and JailOctober 17 1975 | Use of Federal Grant for Old Courthouse and Jail DefendedMay 17 1976 | Old Courthouse and Jail AdJuly 16 1976 | Old Courthouse and Jail Featured in Playboy MagazineApril 13 1977 | Original Court Drama Written About Woodstock Courthouse April 29 1977 | Court Drama Continues to Draw CrowdsFebruary 3 1978 | Old Courthouse Reaches 120th AnniversaryMarch 24 1978 | Old Courthouse and Jail to Sponsor Ayn Rand Mystery DramaDecember 22 1978 | Actors from "A Christmas Carol" Photographed Outside Courthouse‹›
